Effect of phase change materials on the optical path of LEDs for opto-thermal enhancement

Abstract

A novel concept based on the encapsulation of transparent phase change materials (PCMs) into the optical packaging structure of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is presented in this article. The concept was initiated by challenges of thermal management of photoluminescent particles in high-power optical systems. LEDs, white LEDs (WLEDs), and porous/network-based photoluminescent matrices can achieve improved thermal networks by embedding PCMs. In this article, paraffin is selected as a suitable PCM encapsulant, and aside from thermal perspectives, an unexpected optical benefit with melted paraffin after surface wetting of the chip was observed. Immersing an LED chip in a melted paraffin pool showed up to an 8% increase in light extraction efficiency and a 1.5% increase in power conversion efficiency (PCE). An accurate dynamic opto-electro-thermal monitoring of studied devices was used to support the proof of concept. This viable method can be integrated into current industrial packaging processes.