A lighting device, comprising a glow material; a light source, positioned to illuminate the glow material when the light source is activated; and a light source controller, for sequencing sufficient on and off activation of the light source to maintain activate the glow material over a period of time.

A light emitting arrangement (100, 200, 300) is provided, comprising: a body (10) of solid material having a surface (11); a light guiding member (101, 110) partially embedded into said body, having a plurality of discrete light outcoupling regions (103) comprising light outcoupling means (230, 730, 830, 930) distributed along a longitudinal direction of the light guiding member, and a plurality of discrete, non-outcoupling regions (102) distributed along a longitudinal direction of the light guiding member, wherein said plurality of light non-outcoupling regions of the light guiding member are embedded by said body and said plurality of light outcoupling regions of the light guiding member are exposed on the surface of said body, wherein said non-outcoupling regions (102) form light incoupling regions comprising light incoupling means (220, 320, 420, 520, 620); and a plurality of solid state light sources (12) embedded within said body (10) of solid material arranged to emit light towards said light incoupling regions. The light emitting arrangement provides a body with an illuminated surface, and the plurality of light outcoupling regions enables efficient lighting, with no or little loss of light.

An LED illumination apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate, a light source disposed on the substrate, a cover unit, wherein the cover unit is configured to cover the light source, which is disposed on the substrate, and a reflector which is configured to extend from the cover unit inside to the upper substrate, whereby a light generated by the light source illuminates an area below a bottom side of the substrate.

A wave-length conversion inorganic member can includes a base body and an inorganic particle layer on the base body. The inorganic particle layer can include particles of an inorganic wave-length conversion substance which is configured to absorb light of a first wave-length and to emit light of a second wave-length different from the first wave-length. The inorganic particle layer can include an agglomerate of a plurality of the particles. Each of the plurality of the particles are in contact with at least one of the other particles or the base body. A cover layer comprises an inorganic material, and the cover layer continuously covers a surface of the base body and surfaces of the particles. The inorganic particle layer has an interstice enclosed by the particles, or by the particles and one of the base body and the cover layer.

A wave-length conversion inorganic member can includes a base body and an inorganic particle layer on the base body. The inorganic particle layer can include particles of an inorganic wave-length conversion substance which is configured to absorb light of a first wave-length and to emit light of a second wave-length different from the first wave-length. The inorganic particle layer can include an agglomerate of a plurality of the particles. Each of the plurality of the particles are in contact with at least one of the other particles or the base body. A cover layer comprises an inorganic material, and the cover layer continuously covers a surface of the base body and surfaces of the particles. The inorganic particle layer has an interstice enclosed by the particles, or by the particles and one of the base body and the cover layer.

Optical devices are disclosed. In particular, optical devices including a collimated light source (140), at switchable diffuser (110), and at least one light deflecting element (120, 130) are disclosed. The electrically switchable diffuser (110), in combination with the at least light deflecting element (120, 130) can provide significant changes in the overall distribution of light at the electrically switchable diffuser (110) is switched between two or more states.

A lighting device is disclosed with excitation light source(s) for emitting excitation light along an excitation light path; a wavelength conversion assembly including wavelength conversion element(s) for converting the excitation light into conversion light and emitting it into the same half-space from which the excitation light is radiated onto the surface of the element, and reflection element(s) for reflecting, in unconverted fashion, the excitation light intermittently radiated onto the reflection element from the source(s) along the portion of the excitation light path onto a reflection light path as reflection light; and a dichroic mirror for deflecting the excitation light coming from the source(s) onto the portion of the excitation light path on which the excitation light is radiated onto the wavelength conversion element(s) or the reflection element(s). The mirror is configured such that the conversion light is transmitted through the mirror and the reflection light is guided past the mirror.

The invention provides, amongst others for application in a lighting unit, a phosphor selected from the class of

M.sub.2D.sub.2C.sub.2-2bB.sub.bA.sub.2N.sub.6:Ln   (I)

with M=selected from the group consisting of divalent Ca, Sr, and Ba; D=selected from the group consisting of monovalent Li, divalent Mg, Mn, Zn, Cd, and trivalent Al and Ga; C=selected from the group consisting of monovalent Li and Cu; B=selected from the group consisting of divalent Mg, Zn, Mn and Cd; A=selected from the group consisting of tetravalent Si, Ge, Ti, and Hf; Ln=selected from the group consisting of ES and RE; ES=selected from the group consisting of divalent Eu, Sm and Yb; RE=selected from the group consisting of trivalent Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Tm; and 0≦b≦1.

Disclosed is a retractable lighting fixture having a retractable LED lighting layer. One or more optical layers (40, 240A/B, 340A/B, 440) may optionally be provided over the LED lighting layer (30, 230, 330, 430). The optical layer(s) and the LED lighting layer may optionally be movable relative to one another between at least being in an expanded spaced relation to one another and a compressed relation to one another. One or more LEDs (34, 134, 234A/B, 334A/B, 434) on the LED lighting layer may be individually controllable and such LEDs (34, 134, 234A/B, 334A/B, 434) may be selectively extinguished when they are in a retracted position.

A wavelength converting member is provided, comprising a wavelength converting layer comprising an organic wavelength converting compound distributed in a matrix comprising an amorphous or semi-crystalline aromatic polyester wherein the aromatic polyester molecules are predominantly in a randomly oriented state, said wavelength converting member further comprising at least one support element. By avoiding uniaxial or biaxial orientation of the polyester matrix, the organic wavelength converting compound (organic phosphor) is well protected against photo-chemical degradation. The support element ensures the dimensional stability of the polyester matrix at temperature above the glass transition temperature.