Surface-Textured Encapsulations for Use With Light Emitting Diodes

Abstract

Surface-textured encapsulations for use with light emitting diodes. In an aspect, a light emitting diode apparatus is provided that includes a light emitting diode, and an encapsulation formed upon the light emitting diode and having a surface texture configured to extract light. In an aspect, a method includes encapsulating a light emitting diode with an encapsulation having a surface texture configured to extract light. In an aspect, a light emitting diode lamp is provided that includes a package, at least one light emitting diode disposed within the package, and an encapsulation formed upon the at least one light emitting diode having a surface texture configured to extract light. In another aspect, a method includes determining one or more regions of an encapsulation, the encapsulation configured to cover a light emitting diode, and surface-texturing each region of the encapsulation with one or more geometric features that are configured to extract light.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for forming a light emitting diode apparatus comprising:
 encapsulating a light emitting diode with an encapsulation having a surface-texture configured to extract light.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said encapsulating comprises forming the encapsulation from clear silicone. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said encapsulating comprises forming the encapsulation from a phosphor-containing silicone layer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said encapsulating comprises stamping the encapsulation with the surface-texture. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said encapsulating comprises molding the encapsulation with the surface-texture. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said encapsulating comprises transferring the surface-texture to the encapsulation with a pattern transfer process. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said encapsulating comprises forming the surface texture to comprise one or more geometric features configured for light extraction. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said encapsulating comprises forming the surface texture to comprise one or more geometric shapes selected from a set comprising hemispheres, cones, pyramids, and random shapes. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said encapsulating comprises dimensioning the one or more geometric shapes to be smaller than the light emitting diode. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said encapsulating comprises forming the encapsulation to encapsulate multiple light emitting diodes.