I-Corps: Laser-Stimulated Phosphor Technology for Next-Generation Solid-State Lighting

照明是许多应用中的关键组件，因此它是商业和工业市场的头号用电来源。这些应用中安装的灯的数量只有住宅中安装的灯的一半左右，但这些大功率灯的用电量是住宅的三倍。这些客户每天都在长时间地使用高功率灯具--使用大量能源照明，并寻找节能的替代方案。通过实施节能照明技术具有高节能潜力的目标应用包括停车场、道路和体育照明；海港、机场和体育场的高杆照明；仓库照明；室内农业照明；以及危险区域和水下照明。这些应用需要一种影响深远的定向光源，本发明可以在高能效和低成本的情况下实现这一点。该项目旨在通过提高能效和降低成本来推动固态白光照明技术的发展。这项拟议的创新依靠激光激发的荧光粉技术来创造一种节能、高功率的光源。这一创新的商业化可能导致下一代超高效和智能光源，超越当前照明技术的限制，大幅增加高功率市场中节能光源的可用性和接受度，进而降低全球能源消耗，帮助保护我们的环境。本项目的目标是评估用于固态白光照明的激光激发荧光粉技术的商业可行性。具体地说，拟议的项目将在大功率照明市场内进行客户发现研究，从而制定商业化计划和市场重点；并将开发基于激光-荧光粉相互作用的光学模拟模型，作为进一步设计和优化的基础，为未来的原型工作提供信息。此前进行的基础研究表明，激光激发的荧光粉发射是产生高质量白光的可行选择。将这项创新商业化的下一步是确定最有需求的细分市场，并通过创新的光学设计调整我们的技术以满足这些需求。因此，光学设计的探索和优化将是该项目的重点。通过探索潜在的设计方案，可以更充分地了解和量化这项技术的能力。光学建模将用于创建和优化设计、了解光学相互作用、模拟照明和量化潜在的性能能力。这将使用LightTools照明设计软件来完成，这是一种3D光学工程和设计软件产品，支持照明应用的虚拟原型、模拟、优化和照片级真实感渲染。要正确使用模拟软件以产生准确的结果，需要了解所涉及的材料及其光学性质。当前项目的目标将是开发一个工作模拟模型，准确地模拟光学相互作用和产生的光度学，与实验数据一致。这将包括单一激光模型，使用蓝色或近紫外光激光二极管与各种荧光粉成分和基质复合材料相结合。一旦建立了与实验数据相符的准确模型，就可以探索进一步的优化和设计，以指导未来的原型工作。本项目结束时的技术演示将是一个准确的模型，将作为激光激发荧光粉技术的进一步研究的基础，无论是在将这一当前创新商业化的目标范围内，还是在这一领域的未来研究工作中。

Lighting is a crucial component in a number of applications, and as such it is the number one source of electricity use in the commercial and industrial markets. The number of installed lamps in these applications is only about half of that used in residences, but the amount of electricity used by these high-power lights is three times as high. These customers are operating high-power lamps for an extended period of time daily - using large amounts of energy for lighting and searching for an energy-efficient alternative. Target applications where there is a high potential for energy savings by implementing energy efficient lighting technology include parking, roadway, and sports lighting; high-mast lighting in seaports, airports, and stadiums; warehouse lighting; indoor agricultural lighting; and hazardous area and underwater illumination. These applications require a far-reaching directional light source, where the present innovation may achieve this with high energy efficiency and low cost. This project aims to advance solid-state white lighting technology through increasing energy efficiency and decreasing cost. The proposed innovation relies on laser-stimulated phosphor technology to create an energy-efficient, high-power light source. Commercialization of this innovation could lead to the next generation of ultra-efficient and smart light sources, surpassing the limitations of current lighting technologies and drastically increasing the availability and uptake of energy-efficient light sources in the high-power market, in turn, reducingglobal energy consumption and helping to preserve our environment.The goal of this project is to evaluate the commercial feasibility of laser-stimulated phosphor technology for solid-state white lighting. Specifically, the proposed project will perform customer discovery research within the high-power lighting market, resulting in a commercialization plan and market focus; and will develop an optical simulation model based on laser-phosphor interactions to be used as the basis for further design and optimization to inform future prototyping efforts. The fundamental research conducted previously has showed that laser-stimulated phosphor emission is a viable alternative to produce high-quality white light. The next steps in commercializing this innovation involve identifying the market segments with the greatest need, and adapting our technology to fit those needs through innovative optical designs. Exploration and optimization of optical designs will therefore be the focus of this project. By exploring potential design schemes,the capabilities of this technology can be more fully understood and quantified. Optical modeling will be used to create and optimize designs, understand optical interactions, simulate illumination,and quantify potential performance capabilities. This will be done using the LightTools Illumination Design Software, a 3D optical engineering and design software product that supports virtual prototyping, simulation, optimization, and photorealistic renderings of illumination applications. Proper use of the simulation software to produce accurate results requires an understanding of the materials involved and their optical properties. The goal of the current project will be to develop a working simulation model that accurately simulates the optical interactions and resulting photometrics, agreeing with experimental data. This will include single laser models, using a blue or near-ultraviolet laser diode in combination with various phosphor compositions and matrix composites. Once an accurate model is established that agrees with experimental data, further optimization and designs can be explored that will inform future prototyping efforts. The technology demonstration at the end of this project will be an accurate model that will serve as the basis for further research in laser-stimulated phosphor technology, both within the goals of commercializing this current innovation and for future research efforts in this area.