A Novel PiGF@Diamond Color Converter with a Record Thermal Conductivity for Laser-Driven Projection Display

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optoelectronics
• Photonics

Background:

• High-brightness laser lighting requires advanced color-converting materials with excellent thermal management and optical properties.
• Current phosphor-in-glass films face limitations in heat dissipation, hindering performance under high laser power densities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate a novel composite material for enhanced laser lighting applications.
• To improve thermal conductivity and optical performance of laser-excitable color converters.

Main Methods:

• A facile low-temperature co-sintering strategy was employed to create a phosphor-in-glass film on transparent diamond (PiGF@diamond).
• The composite incorporated La3Si6N11:Ce3+ (LSN:Ce) phosphor, and its thermal and optical properties were evaluated.
• A white laser diode was constructed by adding CaAlSiN3:Eu2+ (CASN:Eu) for red spectral component.

Main Results:

• The LSN:Ce PiGF@diamond composite achieved a record thermal conductivity of ≈599 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹, approximately 60 times higher than PiGF@sapphire.
• The color converter successfully handled laser power densities up to 40.24 W mm⁻² without luminescence saturation.
• A white laser diode demonstrated warm white light with a high color rendering index of 89.3.

Conclusions:

• The PiGF@diamond composite exhibits exceptional thermal conductivity and optical performance for laser lighting.
• This material effectively mitigates laser-induced heat accumulation, enabling higher power operation.
• The developed composite shows significant potential for commercial applications in laser lighting and displays.