Patent ID: 8723205

Claim:
A lighting device, comprising: an opto-luminescent phosphor, for excitation by optical energy of a first spectral characteristic and when excited emitting light of a second spectral characteristic different from the first spectral characteristic; a source of optical excitation energy, for supplying the optical excitation energy to the phosphor; a housing having a section that is thermally conductive and at least one member, that is at least partially optically transmissive for allowing emission of light emitted from the phosphor as an output of the lighting device, the at least one optically transmissive member being connected to the thermally conductive section of the housing to form a seal for a vapor tight chamber, the phosphor being contained within the chamber; and a working fluid within the chamber, wherein pressure within the chamber configures the working fluid to absorb heat during operation of the lighting device, to vaporize at a relatively hot location at or near at least a portion of the opto-luminescent phosphor as the working fluid absorbs heat, to transfer heat to and condense at a relatively cold location, and to return as a liquid to the relatively hot location, wherein the working fluid is in direct contact with or contains at least a portion of the opto-luminescent phosphor.