Optoelectronic Semiconductor Chip, Method for Producing an Optoelectronic Semiconductor Chip and Headlight Comprising an Optoelectronic Semiconductor Chip

Abstract

An optoelectronic semiconductor chip and a method for producing an optoelectronic semiconductor chip are disclosed. In an embodiment an optoelectronic semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor layer sequence having a plurality of pixels, the semiconductor layer sequence comprising an active layer configured to generate electromagnetic radiation of a first wavelength range and a plurality of conversion elements, wherein each conversion element is configured to convert the radiation of the first wavelength range into radiation of a second wavelength range, wherein each pixel has a radiation exit surface and a conversion element is arranged on each radiation exit surface, and wherein each conversion element has a greater thickness in a central region than in a peripheral region.

Claims

1-19. (canceled)

20. An optoelectronic semiconductor chip comprising: a semiconductor layer sequence having a plurality of pixels, the semiconductor layer sequence comprising an active layer configured to generate electromagnetic radiation of a first wavelength range; and a plurality of conversion elements, wherein each conversion element is configured to convert the radiation of the first wavelength range into radiation of a second wavelength range, wherein each pixel has a radiation exit surface, wherein a conversion element is arranged on each radiation exit surface, and wherein each conversion element has a greater thickness in a central region than in a peripheral region.

21. The optoelectronic semiconductor chip according claim 20, wherein each conversion element has a shape which is rotationally symmetrical to an axis of the conversion element.

22. The optoelectronic semiconductor chip according to claim 20, wherein each conversion element is formed as a lens.

23. The optoelectronic semiconductor chip according to claim 20, wherein each conversion element is composed of a plurality of wavelength converting single layers.

24. The optoelectronic semiconductor chip according to claim 23, wherein a cross-sectional area of the wavelength converting single layers continuously decreases from a first main surface of the conversion element to a second main surface of the conversion element.

25. The optoelectronic semiconductor chip according to claim 20, wherein the conversion elements of directly adjacent pixels are continuously connected to each other by a thin layer of a wavelength converting material of the conversion elements.

26. The optoelectronic semiconductor chip according to claim 20, wherein the conversion elements are formed from a resin in which phosphor particles are incorporated.

27. The optoelectronic semiconductor chip according to claim 20, wherein the optoelectronic semiconductor chip is configured to emit white light composed of converted radiation and unconverted radiation.

28. The optoelectronic semiconductor chip according to claim 20, wherein the optoelectronic semiconductor chip is configured to emit white light composed of converted yellow radiation and unconverted blue radiation.

29. The optoelectronic semiconductor chip according to claim 20, wherein the optoelectronic semiconductor chip comprises different conversion elements, wherein the conversion elements are configured to convert the electromagnetic radiation of the first wavelength of the respective pixel to which the respective conversion element is applied into the electromagnetic radiation of different, second wavelength ranges such that the pixels are configured to emit mixed-colored light having different color locations.

30. The optoelectronic semiconductor chip according to claim 20, wherein the pixels have different active layers configured to emit electromagnetic radiation of different first wavelength ranges.

31. The optoelectronic semiconductor chip according to claim 20, wherein the pixels have active layers configured to emit the electromagnetic radiation of the first wavelength range from an infrared spectral range.

32. The optoelectronic semiconductor chip according to claim 20, wherein a first group of pixels together with their respective conversion elements are configured to emit warm white light and a second group of pixels together with their respective conversion elements are configured to emit cold white light, and wherein the pixels of the first group and the pixels of the second group are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

33. A headlamp incorporating the optoelectronic semiconductor chip according to claim 20.

34. A method for producing an optoelectronic semiconductor chip, the method comprising: providing a semiconductor layer sequence having a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel has a radiation exit surface from which, during operation, electromagnetic radiation of a first wavelength range is emitted, which is generated in an active layer of the semiconductor layer sequence; and applying a conversion element to each radiation exit surface, wherein each conversion element is configured to convert the radiation of the first wavelength range into radiation of a second wavelength range, and wherein each conversion element has a greater thickness in a central region of the radiation exit surface than in a peripheral region.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein applying the conversion element comprises using a printing process.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the printing process is selected from the group consisting of ink jet process, aerosol jet process, electro-hydrodynamic ink jet process and screen printing process.

37. The method according to claim 34, wherein the conversion elements are produced by applying a plurality of wavelength converting single layers on top of one another.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein each wavelength converting single layer is partially or completely cured after application.

39. An optoelectronic semiconductor chip comprising: a semiconductor layer sequence having a plurality of pixels, the semiconductor layer sequence comprising an active configured to generate electromagnetic radiation of a first wavelength range; and a plurality of conversion elements formed from a resin in which phosphor particles are incorporated, wherein each conversion element is configured to convert the radiation of the first wavelength range into radiation of a second wavelength range, wherein each pixel has a radiation exit surface and a conversion element is arranged on each radiation exit surface, and wherein each conversion element has a greater thickness in a central region than in a peripheral region.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Further advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention result from the exemplary embodiments described below in connection with the figures.

[0042] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a method according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0043] FIG. 3 shows an optoelectronic semiconductor chip according to an exemplary embodiment; and

[0044] FIGS. 4 to 6 show further exemplary embodiments of the method.

[0045] Identical, similar or identically acting elements are provided in the figures with the same reference numbers. The figures and the proportions of the elements shown in the figures with respect to each other are not to be regarded as true to scale. Rather, individual elements, in particular layer thicknesses, may be oversized for better representability and/or better understanding.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0046] In the method according to the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 2, a semiconductor layer sequence 1 with an active layer 2 suitable for generating electromagnetic radiation of a first wavelength range is first provided (FIG. 1). The semiconductor layer sequence 1 is based on a nitride compound semiconductor material and is suitable for emitting blue light. In other words, the first wavelength range is formed by blue light. However, it is also possible that the first wavelength range is formed by infrared light.

[0047] The semiconductor layer sequence 1 comprises a plurality of pixels 3 arranged laterally next to each other, wherein the active layer 2 extends through all pixels 3 in the present case. The pixels 3 are separated from each other by optically inactive areas 4 of the semiconductor layer sequence 1, which also comprise part of the active layer 2. However, the optically inactive areas 4 do not emit electromagnetic radiation during operation of the semiconductor chip as they are not energized. Each pixel 3 has a radiation exit surface 5 from which electromagnetic radiation of the first wavelength range is emitted during operation of the semiconductor chip. In the present exemplary embodiment, all active layers 2 of the pixels 3 are of the same design and, in particular, all generate electromagnetic radiation of the same first wavelength range. However, it is also possible that the active layers 2 of the pixels 3 are formed differently such that they emit electromagnetic radiation of different second wavelength ranges.

[0048] In a next step, schematically shown in FIG. 2, a conversion element 6 is applied to the radiation exit surface 5 of each pixel 3, for example, by printing. The conversion elements are made of silicone in which phosphor particles are incorporated. Each conversion element 6 is suitable for converting radiation of the first wavelength range into radiation of a second wavelength range. In the present case, each conversion element 6 partially converts the blue light of the active layer 2 into yellow light, such that the optoelectronic semiconductor chip emits mixed-colored white light composed of yellow converted light and blue unconverted light.

[0049] In the present case, each conversion element 6 has a greater thickness in a central region of the conversion element 6 than in a peripheral region of the conversion element 6. In the present case, the conversion elements 6 are arranged on the radiation exit surfaces 5 in such a way that they have a greater thickness in a central region of the radiation exit surface 5 than in a peripheral region of the radiation exit surface 5. In the present case, the conversion elements 6 are all similar in shape and wavelength converting properties.

[0050] Furthermore, it is also conceivable that the conversion elements 6 have different wavelength converting properties and convert electromagnetic radiation of a first wavelength range, which is emitted by the active layer 2 of the respective pixel 3 to which the respective conversion element 6 is applied, into radiation of different second wavelength ranges.

[0051] In particular, the conversion elements 6 are lenticular and rotationally symmetrical to an axis 7. The axis 7 passes through a center of the radiation exit surface 5 of the pixel 3 and is perpendicular to the radiation exit surface 5 of the pixel 3.

[0052] In contrast to the optoelectronic semiconductor chip shown in FIG. 2, the optoelectronic semiconductor chip shown in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3 has interconnected conversion elements 6. The conversion elements 6 on the radiation exit surface 5 of the pixels 3 are connected by thin layers 8 of the wavelength converting material of the conversion elements 6. Conversion elements 6, as shown in FIG. 3, which are laterally interconnected by thin layers of wavelength converting material, can be generated, for example, by printing.

[0053] In the method according to the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 4 to 6, a semiconductor layer sequence 1 is first provided, as already described in FIG. 1 (FIG. 4). Then a wavelength converting single layer 9 is applied to the radiation exit surface 5 of each pixel 3, for example, by printing. In the next step, which is not shown here, the wavelength converting single layer 9 is cured.

[0054] Then a further wavelength converting single layer 9 is applied in direct contact to the already applied and cured wavelength converting single layer 9, which has a smaller cross-sectional area than the already applied single layer 9 (FIG. 5). The other wavelength converting single layer 9 is also cured.

[0055] Then, as schematically shown in FIG. 6, a further wavelength converting single layer 9, which in turn has a reduced cross-sectional area compared with the two wavelength converting single layers 9, 9 already applied, is deposited onto the last wavelength converting single layer 9 applied and cured. The cross-sectional areas of the wavelength converting single layers continuously decrease from a first main area of the conversion element 6 to a second main area of the conversion element 6. In this way, a conversion element 6 can be constructed which has a greater thickness in a central region above the radiation exit surface 5 of each pixel 3 than in peripheral regions of the radiation exit surface of the pixel 3.

[0056] The invention is not limited by the description with reference to the exemplary embodiments. Rather, the invention includes each new feature as well as each combination of features, which in particular includes each combination of features in the patent claims, even if that feature or combination itself is not explicitly mentioned in the patent claims or exemplary embodiments.