US3900863A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Light-emitting diode which generates light in three dimensions
Assignee: Philips North America LLC
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Filing: 1974-05-13
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Granted: 1975-08-19
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Expires: 1994-05-13
Abstract
Abstract Light-emitting diode (LED) device generates light proximate a plurality of different surfaces which lie in different planes. The device is formed on a substrate of a n-type material which carries a thin dielectric masking material thereon with apertures in the mask. Epitaxial facet grown islands project through the apertures and a thin layer of p-type material is formed thereover to provide light-emitting p-n junctions which lie in different planes.
Inventors
- 👤 He B Kim
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 04:07
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10H; H10H20/00; H10H20/80; H10H20/85; H10H20/855; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S148/00; Y10S148/026; Y10S148/056; Y10S148/065; Y10S148/072; Y10S148/085; Y10S148/115
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
169 words
A LIGHT-EMITTING SOLID-STATE DIVICE WHICH WILL GENRATE LIGHT PROXIMATE A PLURALITY OF DIFFEENT SURFACES WHICH ARE IN MORE THAN ONE PLANE, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING: A. A SUBSTRATE FORMED OF PREDETERMINED N-TYPE MATERIAL HAVING A SELECTED SURFACE OF PREDETEMINED CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC ORIENTATION, B. A THIN LAYER OF INORGANIC DIELECTRIC MATERIAL ADHERED OVER SAID SELECTED SURFACE OF SAID SUBSTRATE, SAID THIN LAYER HAVING PROVIDED THEREIN AT LEAST ONE APERTUNE OF PREDETERMINED SIZE AND CONFIGURATION AND POSITIONED IN PREDETERMINED CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC ORIENTATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID SELECTED SURFACE, C. AN EPITAXIAL FACET GROWN ISLAND OF SAID N-TYPE MATERIAL EXTENDING FROM SAID SUBSTRATE AND PROJECTING A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE THROUGH AND BEYOND THE APERTURE IN SAID DIELECTRIC LAYER, D. A THIN P-TYPE LAYER OVERLAYING THE PORTIONS OF SAID ISLAND WHICH PROJECT BEYOND THE APERTURE IN SAID DIELECTRIC LAYER, WITH THE BOUNDRY BETWEEN SAID N-TYPE MATERIAL AND SAID P-TYPE LAYER DEFINING A MULTIPLANAR LIGHT-EMITTING P-N JUNCTION, E. FIRST METALLIC ELECTRODE MEANS CONTACTING SAID P-TYPE LAYER, AND F. SECOND METALLIC ELECTRODE MEANS CONTACTING ANOTHER SURFACE OF SAID SUBSTRATE.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
169 words
A LIGHT-EMITTING SOLID-STATE DIVICE WHICH WILL GENRATE LIGHT PROXIMATE A PLURALITY OF DIFFEENT SURFACES WHICH ARE IN MORE THAN ONE PLANE, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING: A. A SUBSTRATE FORMED OF PREDETERMINED N-TYPE MATERIAL HAVING A SELECTED SURFACE OF PREDETEMINED CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC ORIENTATION, B. A THIN LAYER OF INORGANIC DIELECTRIC MATERIAL ADHERED OVER SAID SELECTED SURFACE OF SAID SUBSTRATE, SAID THIN LAYER HAVING PROVIDED THEREIN AT LEAST ONE APERTUNE OF PREDETERMINED SIZE AND CONFIGURATION AND POSITIONED IN PREDETERMINED CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC ORIENTATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID SELECTED SURFACE, C. AN EPITAXIAL FACET GROWN ISLAND OF SAID N-TYPE MATERIAL EXTENDING FROM SAID SUBSTRATE AND PROJECTING A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE THROUGH AND BEYOND THE APERTURE IN SAID DIELECTRIC LAYER, D. A THIN P-TYPE LAYER OVERLAYING THE PORTIONS OF SAID ISLAND WHICH PROJECT BEYOND THE APERTURE IN SAID DIELECTRIC LAYER, WITH THE BOUNDRY BETWEEN SAID N-TYPE MATERIAL AND SAID P-TYPE LAYER DEFINING A MULTIPLANAR LIGHT-EMITTING P-N JUNCTION, E. FIRST METALLIC ELECTRODE MEANS CONTACTING SAID P-TYPE LAYER, AND F. SECOND METALLIC ELECTRODE MEANS CONTACTING ANOTHER SURFACE OF SAID SUBSTRATE.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
The device as specified in claim 1, wherein there are provided a plurality of said apertures in said dielectric material layer, said apertures when viewed in combination providing a predetermined array desired to be visually presented, each of said apertures have one of said epitaxial facet grown islands projecting therethrough, and said first metallic electrode means comprising a plurality of different electrodes adapted to be separately energized.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device as specified in claim 1, wherein said epitaxial facet grown island has a predetermined faceted lens structure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The device as specified in claim 3, wherein at least a portion of said faceted lens structure has provided thereon a thin layer of material having an index of refraction intermediate the indicies of refraction of said p-type layer and air.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
74 words
The device as specified in claim 1, wherein said substrate is gallium-arsenide and of flattened configuration, with the crystalline Miller indicies of said selected surface being (001); said dielectric material is silica affixed to said selected surface; said p-type layer is zinc doped gallium-arsenide; said first metallic electrode means is gold-germanium alloy; and said second metallic electrode means is gold-germanium alloy and is affixed to a surface of said substrate opposite said silica layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
94 words
The device as specified in claim 1, wherein said device is formed of different layers of heretrogeneous composition, said island is different composition than said substrate and said island has an energy gap greater than the energy gap of said substrate, said thin p-type layer has an energy gap lEss than the energy gap of said island, a window layer of p-type material of composition different from that of said thin p-type layer overlays said thin p-type layer, and said window layer has an energy gap greater than that of said thin p-type layer.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-18 | 1979-02-17 | 1979-08-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-18 | 1983-02-17 | 1983-08-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-18 | 1987-02-17 | 1987-08-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |