Thermal management systems for light emitting devices and systems

Abstract

One or more embodiments presented herein include a light emitting system and/or device that can include a thermal management system. The thermal management system can provide for transport and/or dissipation of heat generated by a light emitting device.

1 . A light emitting system comprising:
 an illumination component;   a solid-state light emitting device configured to emit light into the illumination component; and   a heat spreading component associated with the illumination component, the heat spreading component having a first thermal conductivity in a first direction substantially larger than a second thermal conductivity in a second direction.   
     
     
         2 . The light emitting system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more heat pipes and/or vapor plates disposed under the heat spreading component. 
     
     
         3 . The light emitting system of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more heat pipes and/or vapor plates are in thermal communication with the light emitting device. 
     
     
         4 . The light emitting system of  claim 3 , further comprising fins disposed in thermal communication with at least some of the one or more heat pipes and/or vapor plates. 
     
     
         5 . The light emitting system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat spreading component comprises a graphite material. 
     
     
         6 . The light emitting system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat spreading component has an in-plane thermal conductivity greater than about 400 W/mK. 
     
     
         7 . The light emitting system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat spreading component has an out-of-plane thermal conductivity less than about 20 W/mK. 
     
     
         8 . The light emitting system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more out-of-plane thermal conduction channels disposed to penetrate at least a portion of a out-of-plane thickness of the heat spreading component, wherein the out-of-plane conduction channels are configured to have thermal conductivity substantially larger than the out-of-plane thermal conductivity of the heat spreading component. 
     
     
         9 . The light emitting system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more out-of-plane thermal conduction channels comprise metal. 
     
     
         10 . The light emitting system of  claim 8 , further comprising one or more heat pipes and/or vapor plates in thermal communication with the light emitting device, wherein the one or more out-of-plane thermal conduction channels are in thermal communication with at least some of the one or more heat pipes and/or vapor plates. 
     
     
         11 . The light emitting system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more liquid crystal layers disposed over the illumination component. 
     
     
         12 . The light emitting system of  claim 1 , wherein the first direction is substantially parallel to a majority of the light transmitted through the illumination component. 
     
     
         13 . The light emitting system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat spreading component has an in-plane thermal conductivity and an out-of-plane thermal conductivity, wherein the thermal conductivity in the first direction is the in-plane thermal conductivity and the thermal conductivity in the second direction is the out-of-plane thermal conductivity. 
     
     
         14 . The light emitting system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat spreading component is disposed under the illumination component. 
     
     
         15 . The light emitting system of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermal conductivity is greater than ten times the second thermal conductivity. 
     
     
         16 . The light emitting system of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermal conductivity is greater than twenty times the second thermal conductivity. 
     
     
         17 . The light emitting system of  claim 1 , wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. 
     
     
         18 . The light emitting system of  claim 1 , wherein the solid-state light emitting device is in thermal communication with the heat spreading component. 
     
     
         19 . The light emitting system of  claim 18 , wherein the solid-state light emitting device is directly on the heat spreading component. 
     
     
         20 . A method of forming a light emitting system comprising:
 providing an illumination component;   providing a solid-state light emitting device configured to emit light into the illumination component; and   providing a heat spreading component associated with the illumination component, the heat spreading component having a first thermal conductivity in a first direction substantially larger than a second thermal conductivity in a second direction.