Systems and Methods Providing Thermal Spreading for an LED Module

Abstract

A Light Emitting Diode (LED) module includes a circuit board having a front side and a back side, a heat sink coupled to the back side of the circuit board, a thermal pad disposed on a front side of the circuit board, an LED disposed on the front side of the circuit board. The LED is in thermal contact with the thermal pad. The module further includes a heat spreading device placed over the thermal pad and in thermal contact with the thermal pad.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a substrate having a first side and an opposing second side;   a heat sink coupled to the second side of the substrate;   a thermal pad disposed on the first side of the substrate;   a Light Emitting Diode (LED) disposed on the first side of the substrate, the LED in direct contact with the thermal pad; and   a heat spreading structure placed over the thermal pad and in thermal contact with the thermal pad.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate includes a circuit board. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the heat spreading structure surrounds the LED. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the heat spreading structure is coupled to the thermal pad using a thermal interface material that includes at least one of a thermal conductive gel and a thermal conductive tape. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal pad includes a metal layer. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the metal layer of the thermal pad is in direct contact with the LED. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the heating spreading structure surround the LED and includes an opening to thereby expose the LED through the heat spreading structure. 
     
     
         8 . A device comprising:
 a thermal pad disposed over a first side of a substrate;   a Light Emitting Diode (LED) disposed over the thermal pad on the first side of the substrate and in direct contact with the thermal pad; and   a heat spreading structure disposed over the first side of the substrate and having an opening to expose the LED.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising a heat sink disposed over a second side of the substrate, the second side of the substrate being opposite the first side. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the heating spreading structure surrounds the LED. 
     
     
         11 . The device of clam  8 , wherein the heat spreading structure includes at least one of aluminum, copper, iron, and silver. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising a solder pad disposed over the first side of the substrate, wherein the LED is in direct contact with the solder pad. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the solder pad is in thermal communication with the thermal pad. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the heat spreading structure is in direct contact with the solder pad. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the heat spreading structure is coupled to the solder pad using a thermal interface material that includes at least one of a thermal conductive gel and a thermal conductive tape. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 forming a thermal pad on a first side of a substrate;   coupling a Light Emitting Diode (LED) to the first side of the substrate such that the LED is in direct contact with the thermal metal pad; and   forming a heat spreading structure over the first side of the substrate such that the heat spreading structure is in thermal communication with the thermal pad and surrounds the LED.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising forming a heat sink structure over a second side of the substrate that is opposite the first side of the substrate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein coupling the LED to the first side of the substrate includes coupling the LED to a solder pad disposed on the first side of the substrate. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein forming the heat spreading structure over the first side of the substrate such that the heat spreading structure is in thermal communication with the thermal pad and surrounds the LED includes coupling the heat spreading structure to the thermal pad using a thermal interface material that includes at least one of a thermal conductive gel and a thermal conductive tape. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein heat spreading structure is electrically isolated from electrical connections on the substrate.