Method of manufacturing a light emitting, photovoltaic or other electronic apparatus and system

US8456392B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• NthDegree Technologies Worldwide Inc · US
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• William Johnstone Ray · Fountain Hills, US
• Mark David Lowenthal · Gilbert, US
• Neil O. Shotton · Tempe, US
• Richard A. Blanchard · Los Altos, US
• Mark Allan Lewandowski · North Port, US
• Kirk A. Fuller · Madison, US
• Donald Odell Frazier · Huntsville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 15, 2009
• Grant date: Jun 4, 2013
• Expiry date: Jul 23, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P70/50
• WIPO field: Micro-structural and nano-technology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an electronic apparatus, such as a lighting device having light emitting diodes (LEDs) or a power generating device having photovoltaic diodes. The exemplary method includes forming at least one first conductor coupled to a base; coupling a plurality of substantially spherical substrate particles to the at least one first conductor; converting the substrate particles into a plurality of substantially spherical diodes; forming at least one second conductor coupled to the substantially spherical diodes; and depositing or attaching a plurality of substantially spherical lenses suspended in a first polymer. The lenses and the suspending polymer have different indices of refraction. In some embodiments, the lenses and diodes have a ratio of mean diameters or lengths between about 10:1 and 2:1. In various embodiments, the forming, coupling and converting steps are performed by or through a printing process.