Method of making a light-emitting-diode (led) with spherical lens

Claim 1

A method for the manufacture of a light-emitting diode apparatus comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor wafer having nearer to a first surface than an opposite parallel second surface a plurality of luminescent spot zones arranged in grid-like fashion; providing at the opposite second surface a plurality of corresponding mesa structures having respective mesa surfaces which are centered with and perpendicular to an axis of emission perpendicular to the first and second wafer surfaces, and wherein outer dimensions of the mesa surfaces are selected such that when a viscous adhesive is placed thereon, spherical lenses will be self-centered through surface tension prior to drying of the adhesive; providing the viscous adhesive on the mesa surfaces; and placing the respective spherical lenses on each of the mesa surfaces while the adhesive is still viscous so that through surface tension the lenses will self-center thereon.

Claim 2

A method for the manufacture of a light-emitting diode apparatus comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor wafer having nearer to a first surface than an opposite parallel second surface a plurality of luminescent spot zones arranged in grid-like fashion; providing at the opposite second surface a plurality of corresponding mesa structures having respective mesa surfaces which are centered with and perpendicular to an axis of emission perpendicular to the first and second wafer surfaces, and wherein outer dimensions of the mesa surfaces are selected such that when a viscous adhesive is placed thereon, spherical lenses will be self-centered through surface tension prior to drying of the adhesive; providing the viscous adhesive on the mesa surfaces; and placing the respective spherical lenses on each of the mesa surfaces while the adhesive is still viscous so that through surface tension the lenses will self-center thereon.

Claim 6

A method for the manufacture of a plurality of light-emitting diode structures, comprising the steps of: providing a wafer having an epitaxial layer at a first surface and a plurality of luminescent spot zones at a junction of the epitaxial layer and the first surface of the wafer in a grid-like pattern; providing corresponding mesa structures having mesa surfaces which are perpendicular to and centered and aligned with respective desired light emission axes from the respective luminescent zones, said axes being perpendicular to the first and second surfaces of the wafer; providing a viscous adhesive film and bringing the adhesive film to the mesa surfaces such that when it contacts the mesa surfaces a portion of adhesive is transferred to the mesa surfaces; providing a vacuum device with a plurality of apertures at which respective spherical lenses are held by suction; by use of the vacuum device, bringing the spherical lenses to an adhesive source so as to transfer a portion of adhesive to the spherical lenses; bringing the vacuum device to the mesa surfaces, placing the spherical lenses onto the mesa surfaces, and then releasing suction; and self-centering the lenses on the mesa surfaces through surface-tension action of the adhesive in interaction with the mesa surfaces while the adhesive is still viscous.

Claim 7

A method for the manufacture of a plurality of light-emitting diode structures, comprising the steps of: providing a wafer having an epitaxial layer at a first surface and a plurality of luminescent spot zones at a junction of the epitaxial layer and the first surface of the wafer in a grid-like pattern; providing corresponding mesa structures having mesa surfaces which are perpendicular to and centered and aligned with respective desired light emission axes from the respective luminescent zones, said axes being perpendicular to the first and second surfaces of the wafer; providing a viscous adhesive film and bringing the adhesive film to the mesa surfaces such that when it contacts the mesa surfaces a portion of adhesive is transferred to the mesa surfaces; providing a vacuum device with a plurality of apertures at which respective spherical lenses are held by suction; by use of the vacuum device, bringing the spherical lenses to an adhesive source so as to transfer a portion of adhesive to the spherical lenses; bringing the vacuum device to the mesa surfaces, placing the spherical lenses onto the mesa surfaces, and then releasing suction; and self-centering the lenses on the mesa surfaces through surface-tension action of the adhesive in interaction with the mesa surfaces while the adhesive is still viscous.