LED power package

Abstract

Surface mount light emitting diode (LED) packages each contain a light emitting diode (LED) die ( 24 ). A plurality of arrays of openings are drilled into an electrically insulating sub-mount wafer ( 10 ). A metal is applied to the drilled openings to produce a plurality of via arrays ( 12 ). The LED dice ( 24 ) are flip-chip bonded onto a frontside ( 16 ) of the sub-mount wafer ( 10 ). The p-type and n-type contacts of each flip-chip bonded LED ( 24 ) electrically communicate with a solderable backside ( 18 ) of the sub-mount wafer ( 10 ) through a via array ( 12 ). A thermal conduction path ( 10, 12 ) is provided for thermally conducting heat from the flip-chip bonded LED dice ( 24 ) to the solderable backside ( 18 ) of the sub-mount wafer ( 10 ). Subsequent to the flip-chip bonding, the sub-mount wafer ( 10 ) is separated to produce the surface mount LED packages.

1 - 7 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         8 . A light emitting diode (LED) package including: 
 an LED having (i) a first side, bounded by a perimeter, on which electrical contacts are arranged and (ii) a second side; and,    a submount having a first side onto which the first side of the LED is bonded and a second side, said submount providing[[:]] a plurality of electrically conductive paths that extend from the second side of the submount to the first side of the submount, said electrically conductive paths including first electrically conductive vias located outside the perimeter and connecting with the electrical contacts of the LED such that electrical power is deliverable to the LED from the second side of the submount.    
     
     
         9 - 11 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         12 . The LED package of  claim 8 , wherein the first plurality of vias wrap around the outer surface of the submount.  
     
     
         13 . The LED package of  claim 8 , wherein the submount is thermally conductive.  
     
     
         14 . The LED package of  claim 8 , wherein the first plurality of electrically conductive vias are thermally conductive.  
     
     
         15 . The LED package of  claim 8 , wherein the submount further includes: 
 a set of one or more thermally conductive vias distinct from the electrically conductive vias.    
     
     
         16 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         17 . The LED package of  claim 8 , wherein the submount includes: 
 a plurality of thermally and electrically conductive bumps formed on one of the first side of the submount and the LED, said bumps joining the LED and submount together by thermosonic bonding.    
     
     
         18 . The LED package of  claim 17 , wherein the bumps are less than about 25 microns in height.  
     
     
         19 . The LED package of  claim 17 , wherein the bumps include: 
 a metal core;    a barrier metal overcoating the metal core; and,    a bondable metal overcoating the barrier metal.    
     
     
         20 . The LED package of  claim 19 , wherein the metal core is copper or aluminum, the barrier metal is nickel, and the bondable metal is gold.  
     
     
         21 . The LED package of  claim 8 , further including: 
 a light transmissive material arranged on LED.    
     
     
         22 . The LED package of  claim 21 , wherein the light transmissive material encapsulates the LED.  
     
     
         23 . The LED package of  claim 21 , wherein the light transmissive material forms a lens.  
     
     
         24 . The LED package of  claim 23 , wherein the lens is a Fresnel lens.  
     
     
         25 . The LED package of  claim 8 , further including: 
 an antireflective coating on the LED, said antireflective coating aiding in extraction of light from the LED.    
     
     
         26 . The LED package of  claim 8 , further including: 
 a phosphor arranged to receive light of a first wavelength from the LED, and in response thereto emit light of a second wavelength.    
     
     
         27 . A light emitting diode (LED) package including: 
 an LED including electrical contacts arranged on a surface thereof; and    an electrically insulating sub-mount having: (i) a frontside including printed circuitry contacting the LED electrical contacts, (ii) a backside including electrical contact pads, and (iii) electrically conductive paths passing through the insulating sub-mount and connecting the printed circuitry of the front-side with the electrical contact pads of the back-side to deliver electrical power from to the back-side sub-mount contact pads to the LED.    
     
     
         28 . The LED package as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein the electrically conductive paths include: 
 a plurality of p-contact conductive paths arranged electrically in parallel to connect a p-type electrical contact of the LED with a positive contact pad of the backside of the sub-mount, the plurality of p-contact conductive paths being spatially distributed to promote generally uniform heat sinking; and    a plurality of n-contact conductive paths arranged electrically in parallel to connect an n-type electrical contact of the LED with a negative contact pad of the backside of the sub-mount, the plurality of n-contact conductive paths being spatially distributed to promote generally uniform heat sinking.    
     
     
         29 . The LED package as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein the electrically insulating sub-mount is substantially thermally insulating, the electrically insulating sub-mount further including: 
 thermally conductive paths through the insulating sub-mount that conduct heat from the LED.    
     
     
         30 . The LED package as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein the LED includes: 
 a light-transmissive substrate;    semiconducting layers deposited on a front-side of the substrate, the semiconducting layers defining an active region, the electrical contacts arranged on the semiconducting layers as front-side contacts such that the LED is flip-chip mounted onto the front-side of the sub-mount to contact the printed circuitry;    wherein light produced in the active region responsive to electrical input to the front-side contacts passes through the substrate and emits at least from a back-side of the substrate.    
     
     
         31 . The LED package as set forth in  claim 30 , wherein the semiconducting layers include layers selected from a group consisting of: gallium nitride (GaN), aluminum nitride (AlN), indium nitride (InN), and alloys thereof.  
     
     
         32 . The LED package as set forth in  claim 30 , wherein the backside of the substrate is patterned to define a light-refractive surface.  
     
     
         33 . The LED package as set forth in  claim 27 , further including: 
 a molded material encompassing at least the LED and providing at least one of index-matching and lensing to modify light emission from the LED.    
     
     
         34 . The LED package as set forth in  claim 27 , further including: 
 an underfill material arranged about an interface between the LED and the sub-mount.    
     
     
         35 . The LED package as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein the sub-mount is formed from one of a ceramic material and a composite material.  
     
     
         36 . The LED package as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein the electrically conductive paths of the sub-mount include metal that fills openings passing through the sub-mount.  
     
     
         37 . The LED package as set forth in  claim 27 , further including: 
 a generally annular ring disposed on the frontside of the sub-mount, the generally annular ring defining a reflective cavity inside of which the LED is disposed.    
     
     
         38 . The LED package as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein the LED includes a plurality of LEDs each contacting corresponding printed circuitry on the front-side of the sub-mount.  
     
     
         39 - 44 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         45 . The LED package as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein the electrically conductive paths are arranged outside of a perimeter of the LED.  
     
     
         46 . The LED package as set forth in  claim 27 , further including: 
 thermosonic bonds connecting the contacts of the LED with the printed circuitry of the submount, the thermosonic bonds including bonding bumps disposed on one of the LED and the frontside of the submount, the bonding bumps being less than about 25 microns in height.    
     
     
         47 . A light emitting diode (LED) package including: 
 an LED having electrical contacts; and    a submount having front and back principal sides, electrical contacts of the LED being bonded to the front principal side of the submount, the submount further including a plurality of electrically conductive paths: (i) extending between the front and back principal sides of the submount, (ii) being located outside of a perimeter of the LED, and (iii) electrically connecting with the electrical contacts of the LED.    
     
     
         48 . The LED package as set forth in  claim 47 , wherein the electrically conductive paths wrap around the outer surface of the submount.  
     
     
         49 . The LED package as set forth in  claim 47 , further including: 
 thermosonic bonds between the electrodes of the LED and the front principal side of the submount, the thermosonic bonds including bonding bumps disposed on one of the LED and the front principal side of the submount, the bonding bumps having heights of less than about 25 microns.