US5087949A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Light-emitting diode with diagonal faces
Assignee: Lumileds LLC
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Filing: 1991-03-05
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Granted: 1992-02-11
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Expires: 2011-03-05
Abstract
Abstract A transparent light-emitting diode has front and back parallel faces and a plurality of side faces perpendicular to the back face. Diagonal faces interconnect each side face with the front face to form a truncated polygonal pyramid surmounting a polygonal base of the light-emitting diode. Because some of the light impinges on the diagonal faces at an angle less than the critical angle for total internal reflection, from 1.5 to 2 times as much light is extracted from the LED as a conventional rectangular LED without the diagonal faces. The diagonal faces on the LEDs are readily made by sawing V-shaped grooves in the front face of a wafer on which the LEDs are fabricated.
Inventors
- 👤 Roland H. Haitz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 22:44
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10H; H10H20/00; H10H20/80; H10H20/81; H10H20/819; H10H20/01; H10H20/011; H10H20/013; H10H20/814; H10H20/82
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A transparent light-emitting diode comprising: an opaque back face at a back of the light-emitting diode; a front electrical contact at the front of the light-emitting diode; and a body of transparent semiconductor between the back and the front electrical contact having a back p-n junction substantially parallel and adjacent to the back face and remote from the front electrical contact, the body being in the form of a polygonal base adjacent to the back and having side faces perpendicular to the back p-n junction, the body also being surmounted by a truncated polygonal pyramid through the side faces of which light is emitted from the light-emitting diode, each face of the pyramid intersecting a face of the base along a line, the front electrical contact being in the truncated end of the pyramid.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
134 words
A transparent light-emitting diode comprising: an opaque back face at a back of the light-emitting diode; a front electrical contact at the front of the light-emitting diode; and a body of transparent semiconductor between the back and the front electrical contact having a back p-n junction substantially parallel and adjacent to the back face and remote from the front electrical contact, the body being in the form of a polygonal base adjacent to the back and having side faces perpendicular to the back p-n junction, the body also being surmounted by a truncated polygonal pyramid through the side faces of which light is emitted from the light-emitting diode, each face of the pyramid intersecting a face of the base along a line, the front electrical contact being in the truncated end of the pyramid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A light-emitting diode as recited in claim 1 wherein the base is rectangular with side faces perpendicular to the back junction, and the pyramid is a rectangular pyramid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A light-emitting diode as recited in claim 1 wherein the angle between a face of the pyramid and an intersecting side face of the base is in the order of twice the critical angle for total internal reflection.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A light-emitting diode as recited in claim 1 wherein the angle between a face of the pyramid and an intersecting side face of the base is in the range of from 120° to 150°.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
A light-emitting diode as recited in claim 1 wherein the width of each face of the pyramid measured from its intersection with a side face of the base to its intersection with the front of the light-emitting diode subtends and angle from the center of the back junction in the order of twice the critical angle for total internal reflection.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A light-emitting diode as recited in claim 1 wherein the height of a side face of the base above the junction subtends an angle from the center of the junction in the order of the critical angle for total internal reflection.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
A light-emitting diode as recited in claim 1 wherein the pyramid is asymmetrical.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
A light-emitting diode as recited in claim 1 wherein the angle between a side face of the base and an intersecting face of the pyramid on one side of the light-emitting diode is different from the angle between a side face of the base and an intersecting face of the pyramid on the opposite side of the light-emitting diode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A light-emitting diode as recited in claim 1 wherein the back face of the light-emitting diode is at least partly reflective.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
112 words
A transparent light-emitting diode comprising: a body of semiconductor material having; a back face, a front face parallel to the back face, a plurality of side faces extending away from and perpendicular to the back face, a plurality of diagonal faces interconnecting the side faces and the front face, the number of diagonal faces being the same as the number of side faces; means for making electrical contact with the front face; means for making electrical contact with the back face; and a p-n junction within a portion of the body having side faces between the back face and the intersection of the diagonal faces and the side faces for emitting light.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
112 words
A transparent light-emitting diode comprising: a body of semiconductor material having; a back face, a front face parallel to the back face, a plurality of side faces extending away from and perpendicular to the back face, a plurality of diagonal faces interconnecting the side faces and the front face, the number of diagonal faces being the same as the number of side faces; means for making electrical contact with the front face; means for making electrical contact with the back face; and a p-n junction within a portion of the body having side faces between the back face and the intersection of the diagonal faces and the side faces for emitting light.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A light-emitting diode as recited in claim 10 wherein the side faces are at right angles to each other and the diagonal faces define a truncated rectangular pyramid.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
A light-emitting diode as recited in claim 10 wherein the angle between a diagonal face and a side face is in the order of twice the critical angle for total internal reflection.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
A light-emitting diode as recited in claim 10 wherein the angle between a diagonal face and an intersecting side face is in the range of from 120° to 150°.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
A light-emitting diode as recited in claim 10 wherein the width of each diagonal face measured from its intersection with a side face to its intersection with the front face subtends an angle from the center of the p-n junction in the order of twice the critical angle for total internal reflection.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
A light-emitting diode as recited in claim 10 wherein the height of each side face measured from the back face subtends an angle from the center of the p-n junction in the order of the critical angle for total internal reflection.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
52 words
A light-emitting diode as recited in claim 10 wherein the angle between a side face of the base and an intersecting diagonal face on one side of the light-emitting diode is different from the angle between a side face and an intersecting diagonal face on the opposite side of the light-emitting diode.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
A light-emitting diode as recited in claim 10 wehrein the diagonal faces are at appropriate angles relative to the side faces of for transmitting light from the light-emitting diode.
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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) | 1995-02-10 | 1995-08-12 | 1996-02-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-02-10 | 1999-08-12 | 2000-02-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-02-10 | 2003-08-12 | 2004-02-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |