111111
`
`1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
`US007855092B2
`
`c12) United States Patent
`Shimizu et al.
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,855,092 B2
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`(54) DEVICE FOR EMITTING WHITE-COLOR
`LIGHT
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Yoshinori Shimizu, Arran (JP); Kensho
`Sakano, Arran (JP); Yasunobu Noguchi,
`Arran (JP); Toshio Moriguchi, Arran (JP)
`
`(52) U.S. Cl. ............................. 438/22; 438/23; 438/48;
`257/E33.044; 257/E33.059
`(58) Field of Classification Search ............. 438/21-27;
`257/96, E33.044, E33.059; 349/69-105
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`(73) Assignee: Nichia Corporation, Anan-shi (JP)
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 12/829,182
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Jul. 1, 2010
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2010/0264841 Al
`
`Oct. 21, 2010
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(62) Division of application No. 12/548,614, filed on Aug.
`27, 2009, which is a division of application No.
`12/028,062, filed on Feb. 8, 2008, now Pat. No. 7,682,
`848, which is a division of application No. 10/609,402,
`filed on Jul. 1, 2003, now Pat. No. 7,362,048, which is
`a division of application No. 09/458,024, filed on Dec.
`10, 1999, now Pat. No. 6,614,179, which is a division
`of application No. 09/300,315, filed on Apr. 28, 1999,
`now Pat. No. 6,069,440, which is a division of appli(cid:173)
`cation No. 08/902,725, filed on Jul. 29, 1997, now Pat.
`No. 5,998,925.
`
`(30)
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`Jul. 29, 1996
`Sep. 17, 1996
`Sep. 18, 1996
`Dec. 27, 1996
`Mar. 31, 1997
`
`(JP)
`(JP)
`(JP)
`(JP)
`(JP)
`
`................................ P 8-198585
`................................ P 8-244339
`................................ P 8-245381
`................................ P 8-359004
`................................ P 9-081010
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`HOJL21/00
`
`(2006.01)
`
`3,510,732 A
`
`5/1970 Amans
`
`(Continued)
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`DE
`
`3804293 A1
`
`8/1989
`
`(Continued)
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Branko eta!, Development and applications ofhighbright white LED
`lamps, Nov. 29, 1996, the 264th Proceedings of the Institute of
`Phosphor Society, pp. 4-16 of the translation provided by the Appli(cid:173)
`cant.*
`
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner-Charles D Garber
`Assistant Examiner-Abdulfattah Mustapha
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Birch, Stewart, Kolasch &
`Birch, LLP
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A device for emitting white-color light comprises: a light
`emitting diode including: an LED chip comprising a gallium
`nitride compound semiconductor containing indium and
`being capable of emitting a blue color light, and a phosphor
`capable of absorbing a part of the blue color light and emitting
`a light having longer wavelength than the blue color light, the
`blue color light and the light from the phosphor being mixed
`to make the white-color; a control unit for converting an input
`to pulse signals; and a driver receiving the pulse signals from
`the control unit to drive the LED chip, wherein the brightness
`of the white-color light from the light emitting diode is con(cid:173)
`trolled by a width of the pulse signals.
`
`17 Claims, 19 Drawing Sheets
`
`101
`
`VIZIO 1001
`
`

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`US 7,855,092 B2
`Page 2
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`3,652,956 A
`3,691,482 A
`3,699,478 A
`3,748,548 A
`3,819,974 A
`3,875,456 A
`4,001,628 A
`4,298,820 A
`4,314,910 A
`4,550,256 A
`4,644,223 A
`4,716,337 A
`4,727,283 A
`4,857,228 A
`4,905,060 A
`5,006,908 A
`5,118,985 A
`5,202,777 A
`5,208,462 A
`5,221,984 A
`5,257,049 A
`5,334,855 A
`5,369,289 A
`5,471,113 A
`5,512,210 A
`5,550,657 A
`5,578,839 A
`5,594,751 A
`5,602,418 A
`5,630,741 A
`5,700,713 A
`5,706,022 A
`5,743,629 A
`5,798,537 A
`5,801,435 A
`5,825,125 A
`5,847,507 A
`5,949,182 A
`5,959,316 A
`5,998,925 A
`6,004,001 A
`6,015,200 A
`6,066,861 A
`6,069,440 A
`6,340,824 B1
`6,538,371 B1
`6,576,930 B2
`6,600,175 B1
`6,608,332 B2
`6,614,179 B1
`6,784,511 B1
`6,812,500 B2
`7,026,756 B2
`7,071,616 B2
`7,126,274 B2
`7,215,074 B2
`7,329,988 B2
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`VIZIO 1001
`
`

`
`US 7,855,092 B2
`Page 3
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`
`VIZIO 1001
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`US 7,855,092 B2
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`
`VIZIO 1001
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`
`U.S. Patent
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`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 1 of 19
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`US 7,855,092 B2
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`Fig.1
`
`100 -
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`101
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`104
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`102
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`105a1
`105bJ 105
`
`Fig.2
`200
`
`203
`
`202
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`201
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`204
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`205
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`VIZIO 1001
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`U.S. Patent
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`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 2 of 19
`
`US 7,855,092 B2
`
`Fig.3A
`
`100
`
`Relative 50
`intensity
`
`{~o}
`
`1'\
`
`ll.
`
`0
`200
`
`400
`300
`Excitation spectrum
`
`~
`
`500
`Wave[ength ( A. )
`
`Fig.3B
`100
`
`Relative
`intensity 50
`(%)
`
`0
`400
`
`to..
`
`IJ'
`
`"'
`
`"'
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`
`VIZIO 1001
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 3 of 19
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`US 7,855,092 B2
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`VIZIO 1001
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 4 of 19
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`US 7,855,092 B2
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`Fig.5A
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`
`VIZIO 1001
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 5 of 19
`
`US 7,855,092 B2
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`Fig.6
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`VIZIO 1001
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 6 of 19
`
`US 7,855,092 B2
`
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`VIZIO 1001
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 7 of 19
`
`US 7,855,092 B2
`
`Fig.10
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`VIZIO 1001
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 8 of 19
`
`US 7,855,092 B2
`
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`VIZIO 1001
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 9 of 19
`
`US 7,855,092 B2
`
`Fig.18A
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`life test
`ff=20mA Ta;;;:25"C
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`
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`
`VIZIO 1001
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 10 of 19
`
`US 7,855,092 B2
`
`Fig.14A
`
`Weathering test
`100 ~----------
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`
`VIZIO 1001
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 11 of 19
`
`US 7,855,092 B2
`
`Fig.15A
`120
`
`Reliability test
`
`100~-------------------­
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`
`VIZIO 1001
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 12 of 19
`
`US 7,855,092 B2
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`VIZIO 1001
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 14 of 19
`
`US 7,855,092 B2
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`
`630
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`
`VIZIO 1001
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 15 of 19
`
`US 7,855,092 B2
`
`Fig.19A
`100
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`eao
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`
`630
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`---
`
`680
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`~
`
`730
`
`VIZIO 1001
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 16 of 19
`
`US 7,855,092 B2
`
`Fig.20A
`100
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`eao
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`580
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`730
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`VIZIO 1001
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 17 of 19
`
`US 7,855,092 B2
`
`Fig.21A
`100
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`
`680
`
`730
`
`430
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`480
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`
`VIZIO 1001
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 18 of 19
`
`US 7,855,092 B2
`
`-... '
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`
`630
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`680
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`
`VIZIO 1001
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Dec. 21, 2010
`
`Sheet 19 of 19
`
`US 7,855,092 B2
`
`0
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`
`VIZIO 1001
`
`

`
`US 7,855,092 B2
`
`1
`DEVICE FOR EMITTING WHITE-COLOR
`LIGHT
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is a divisional ofU.S. application Ser. No.
`12/548,614 filed Aug. 27, 2009 which is a divisional of U.S.
`application Ser. No. 12/028,062 filed Feb. 8, 2008, now U.S.
`Pat. No. 7,682,848 which is a divisional of U.S. application 10
`Ser. No. 10/609,402 filed Jul. 1, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No.
`7,362,048, which is a divisional ofU.S. application Ser. No.
`09/458,024, filed Dec. 10, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,614,179,
`which is a divisional ofU.S. application Ser. No. 09/300,315,
`filed on Apr. 28, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,069,440, which is 15
`a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/902,725, filed on
`Jul. 29, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,925, which also claims
`priority on Japanese Patent Application Nos. P 08-198585
`filed Jul. 29, 1996; P 08-244339 filed Sep. 17, 1996; P
`08-245381 filed Sep. 18, 1996; P 08-359004 filed Dec. 27, 20
`1996; and P 09-081010 filed Mar. 31, 1997. The entire con(cid:173)
`tents of each of these applications are hereby incorporated by
`reference.
`
`2
`logical changes and operating enviroument, or unevenness in
`color may be caused due to failure in uniformly mixing the
`light emitted by the light emitting components. Thus light
`emitting diodes are effective as light emitting devices for
`5 generating individual colors, although a satisfactory light
`source capable of emitting white light by using light emitting
`components has not been obtained so far.
`In order to solve these problems, the present applicant
`previously developed light emitting diodes which convert the
`color oflight, which is emitted by light emitting components,
`by means of a fluorescent material disclosed in Japanese
`PatentKokai Nos. 5-152609,7-99345,7-176794 and 8-7614.
`The light emitting diodes disclosed in these publications are
`such that, by using light emitting components of one kind, are
`capable of generating light of white and other colors, and are
`constituted as follows.
`The light emitting diode disclosed in the above gazettes are
`made by mounting a light emitting component, having a large
`energy band gap of light emitting layer, in a cup provided at
`the tip of a lead frame, and having a fluorescent material that
`absorbs light emitted by the light emitting component and
`emits light of a wavelength different from that of the absorbed
`light (wavelength conversion), contained in a resin mold
`which covers the light emitting component.
`The light emitting diode disclosed as described above
`capable of emitting white light by mixing the light of a plu(cid:173)
`rality of sources can be made by using a light emitting com(cid:173)
`ponent capable of emitting blue light and molding the light
`emitting component with a resin including a fluorescent
`30 material that absorbs the light emitted by the blue light emit(cid:173)
`ting diode and emits yellowish light.
`However, conventional light emitting diodes have such
`problems as deterioration of the fluorescent material leading
`35 to color tone deviation and darkening of the fluorescent mate(cid:173)
`rial resulting in lowered efficiency of extracting light. Dark(cid:173)
`ening here refers to, in the case of using an inorganic fluores(cid:173)
`cent material such as (Cd, Zn)S fluorescent material, for
`example, part of metal elements constituting the fluorescent
`material precipitate or change their properties leading to col(cid:173)
`oration, or, in the case of using an organic fluorescent mate(cid:173)
`rial, coloration due to breakage of double bond in the mol(cid:173)
`ecule. Especially when a light emitting component made of a
`semiconductor having a high energy band gap is used to
`improve the conversion efficiency of the fluorescent material
`(that is, energy of light emitted by the semiconductor is
`increased and number of photons having energies above a
`threshold which can be absorbed by the fluorescent material
`increases, resulting in more light being absorbed), or the
`quantity of fluorescent material consumption is decreased
`(that is, the fluorescent material is irradiated with relatively
`higher energy), light energy absorbed by the fluorescent
`material inevitably increases resulting in more significant
`degradation of the fluorescent material. Use of the light emit-
`55 ting component with higher intensity oflight emission for an
`extended period of time causes further more significant deg(cid:173)
`radation of the fluorescent material.
`Also the fluorescent material provided in the vicinity of the
`light emitting component may be exposed to a high tempera(cid:173)
`ture such as rising temperature of the light emitting compo(cid:173)
`nent and heat transmitted from the external environment (for
`example, sunlight in case the device is used outdoors).
`Further, some fluorescent materials are subject to acceler(cid:173)
`ated deterioration due to combination of moisture entered
`from the outside or introduced during the production process,
`the light and heat transmitted from the light emitting compo(cid:173)
`nent.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`25
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`The present invention relates to a light emitting diode used
`in LED display, back light source, traffic signal, trailway
`signal, illuminating switch, indicator, etc. More particularly,
`it relates to a light emitting device (LED) comprising a phos(cid:173)
`phor, which converts the wavelength of light emitted by a
`light emitting component and emits light, and a display
`device using the light emitting device.
`2. Description of Related Art
`A light emitting diode is compact and emits light of clear
`color with high efficiency. It is also free from such a trouble as
`bum-out and has good initial drive characteristic, high vibra(cid:173)
`tion resistance and durability to endure repetitive ON/OFF
`operations, because it is a semiconductor element. Thus it has 40
`been used widely in such applications as various indicators
`and various light sources. Recently light emitting diodes for
`RGB (red, green and blue) colors having ultra-high lumi(cid:173)
`nance and high efficiency have been developed, and large
`screen LED displays using these light emitting diodes have 45
`been put into use. The LED display can be operated with less
`power and has such good characteristics as light weight and
`long life, and is therefore expected to be more widely used in
`the future.
`Recently, various attempts have been made to make white
`light sources by using light emitting diodes. Because the light
`emitting diode has a favorable emission spectrum to generate
`monochromatic light, making a light source for white light
`requires it to arrange three light emitting components ofR, G
`and B closely to each other while diffusing and mixing the
`light emitted by them. When generating white light with such
`an arrangement, there has been such a problem that white
`light of the desired tone cannot be generated due to variations
`in the tone, luminance and other factors of the light emitting
`component. Also when the light emitting components are 60
`made of different materials, electric power required for driv(cid:173)
`ing differs from one light emitting diode to another, making it
`necessary to apply different voltages different light emitting
`components, which leads to complex drive circuit. Moreover,
`because the light emitting components are semiconductor 65
`light emitting components, color tone is subject to variation
`due to the difference in temperature characteristics, chrono-
`
`50
`
`VIZIO 1001
`
`

`
`US 7,855,092 B2
`
`3
`When it comes to an organic dye of ionic property, direct
`current electric field in the vicinity of the chip may cause
`electrophoresis, resulting in a change in the color tone.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`Thus, an object of the present invention is to solve the
`problems described above and provide a light emitting device
`which experiences only extremely low degrees of deteriora(cid:173)
`tion in emission light intensity, light emission efficiency and
`color shift over a long time of use with high luminance.
`The present applicant complete