Method of manufacturing light emitting device

• US 10,381,400 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2018
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nichia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nichia Corporation
• Inventors: Daikoku, Shinichi, Nishiyama, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Oh, Jaehwan
• Application Number:
  US15/906,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20180247973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/156 two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0016 relating to electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0025 relating to coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0058 relating to optical field-shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0066 relating to arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0093 Wafer bonding; Removal of the growth substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/30 containing only elements of Group III and Group V of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/46 Reflective coating, e.g. dielectric Bragg reflector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/502 Wavelength conversion materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/62 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body, e.g. lead-frames, wire-bonds or solder balls

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a light emitting device includes: (a) providing a wafer that includes a plurality of light emitting structures, each including a first and second semiconductor layer; (b) forming a first insulating layer so as to cover the light emitting structures and define first and second through-holes corresponding to a respective one of the light emitting structures; (c) forming electrically-conductive structures, each electrically connected with a respective one of the first semiconductor layers and first wirings, each electrically connected with a column of the second semiconductor layers aligned in a second direction; (d) forming a second insulating layer so as to cover the first wirings, the second insulating layer defining third through-holes each disposed above a respective one of the first electrically-conductive structures; and (e) forming second wirings, each electrically connected with a row the first electrically-conductive structures aligned in a first direction.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a light emitting device, the method comprising:

(a) providing a wafer that comprises a supporting substrate and a plurality of light emitting structures, the plurality of light emitting structures being arranged in a two-dimensional array on a first principal surface of the supporting substrate along a first direction and a second direction, each of the plurality of light emitting structures comprising a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, which includes a first region and a second region, and a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type, which covers the second region of the first semiconductor layer;

(b) forming a first insulating layer so as to cover the plurality of light emitting structures, the first insulating layer defining a plurality of first through-holes and a plurality of second through-holes, each of the first through-holes being disposed above the first region of the first semiconductor layer of a respective one of the light emitting structures, each of the second through-holes being disposed above the second semiconductor layer of a respective one of the light emitting structures;

(c) forming a plurality of first electrically-conductive structures and a plurality of first wirings, each of the plurality of first electrically-conductive structures corresponding to a respective one of the first through-holes and electrically connected with a respective one of the first semiconductor layers, the plurality of first wirings being electrically separated from the plurality of first electrically-conductive structures, each of the plurality of first wirings being electrically connected with the second semiconductor layers of a column of the plurality of light emitting structures that are aligned in the second direction at the second through-holes;

(d) forming a second insulating layer so as to cover the plurality of first wirings, the second insulating layer defining a plurality of third through-holes, each disposed above a respective one of the plurality of first electrically-conductive structures; and

(e) forming a plurality of second wirings, each of the plurality of second wirings being electrically connected with the first electrically-conductive structures of a row of the plurality of light emitting structures that are aligned in the first direction at the third through-holes.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

between step (a) and step (b), (g) forming a reflecting layer so as to cover each of the light emitting structures.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

after step (e), (h) forming a light reflective resin layer on the second insulating layer.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

after step (e), (f) removing the supporting substrate,

wherein step (f) comprises separating the plurality of light emitting structures from each other.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein:

in step (a), the first semiconductor layer of each of the plurality of light emitting structures comprises a sacrificial layer at a bottom portion of the first semiconductor layer, the sacrificial layer covering an entirety of the supporting substrate, and

step (f) comprises removing the sacrificial layer.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises:

(a1) depositing a semiconductor material on the supporting substrate, and

(a2) patterning the semiconductor material deposited on the supporting substrate to form the plurality of light emitting structures and a plurality of first island portions on the supporting substrate.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein

step (b) comprises:

(b1) forming a first insulating film so as to cover the plurality of light emitting structures and the plurality of first island portions, and

(b2) forming the first through-holes and the second through-holes in the first insulating film and forming fourth through-holes in the first insulating film, each of the fourth through-holes being located above a respective one of the first island portions, and

step (c) comprises electrically connecting each of the first wirings with a respective one of the plurality of first island portions at a position of a respective one of the fourth through-holes.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein

step (a2) comprises patterning the semiconductor material deposited on the supporting substrate to further form a plurality of second island portions on the supporting substrate,

step (b1) comprises covering the plurality of second island portions with the first insulating film,

step (b2) comprises further forming fifth through-holes in the first insulating film, each of the fifth through-holes being located above a respective one of the second island portions,

step (c) comprises forming a plurality of second electrically-conductive structures, each corresponding to a respective one of the fifth through-holes, each of the plurality of second electrically-conductive structures being electrically connected with a respective one of the plurality of second island portions,

step (d) comprises forming sixth through-holes each disposed above a respective one of the plurality of second electrically-conductive structures, and

step (e) comprises electrically connecting each of the second wirings with a corresponding one of the plurality of second island portions at a respective one of the sixth through-holes.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, in step (a2), the plurality of light emitting structures are arranged in rows and columns on the supporting substrate, and the plurality of first island portions and the plurality of second island portions are arranged along the first direction and the second direction, respectively, outside a region in which the plurality of light emitting structures are arranged.