Semiconductor component which emits radiation, and method for producing the same

• US 20030127654A1
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OSRAM GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: OSRAM GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Linder, Norbert, Mundbrod, Mandred, Strauss, Uwe, Eisert, Dominik, Baur, Johannes, Zehnder, Ulrich, Harle, Volker, Sedlmeier, Reinhard, Nirschl, Ernst, Ulrich, Jacob, Kuhn, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 7,205,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/78
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/32139 using masks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0093 Wafer bonding; Removal of the growth substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/382 the electrode extending partially in or entirely through the semiconductor body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/40 Materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/42 Transparent materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/46 Reflective coating, e.g. dielectric Bragg reflector

Abstract

This invention describes a radiation-emitting semiconductor component with the a multilayered structure (4) that contains a radiation-emitting active layer (5), and a window (1) transparent to radiation that has a first principal face (2) and a second principal face (3) opposite the first principal face (2), and whose first principal face (2) adjoins the multilayered structure (4).

At least one recess (8) is made in the window (1), which preferably has the form of an indentation of the second principal face or as an edge excavation. At least one lateral surface of the window (1) or of the recess (8) is provided at least partially with a contact surface (11). Alternatively or cumulatively, at least one contact surface of the component has a plurality of openings (14).

Claims

1. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component with a multilayered structure (4) that contains a radiation-emitting active layer (5), and a window (1) transparent to radiation that has a first principal face (2) and a second principal face (3) opposite the first principal face, and whose first principal face (2) adjoins the multilayered structure (4), with the window (1) having at least one recess (8) to form radiation-output surfaces running at an angle to the first principal face (2), characterized by the fact that at least one lateral face of the window and/or of the recess adjoining the second principal face (3) is provided, at least in part, with a first contact surface (11).

2. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to claim 1,

characterized by the fact that the first contact surface (11) also at least partially covers the second principal face (3) of the window (1).

3. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to claim 1 or 2,

characterized by the fact that a second contact surface (6) is produced on the multilayered structure (4).

4. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 1 to 3,

characterized by the fact that at least one of the contact surfaces (6, 11) has a plurality of openings (14).

15. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 1 to 14,

characterized by the fact that the recess (8) is made in the form of an indentation in the second principal face (3).

16. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to claim 15,

characterized by the fact that the indentation (8) has a triangular, trapezoidal, or semicircular cross section.

17. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to claim 15,

characterized by the fact that the indentation (8) is made in the form of a trough with triangular, trapezoidal, or semicircular cross section.

18. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 1 to 17,

characterized by the fact that the second principal face (3) of the window (1) has a plurality of indentations (8a, b).

19. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 1 to 18,

characterized by the fact that the recess (8) is made near the edge so that the window (1) is tapered down toward the second principal face (3).

20. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to claim 19,

characterized by the fact that the recess (8) has at least one lateral surface (10) that contains a first lateral surface section (10a) inclined with respect to the first principal face of the window (1), which is continued into a second lateral surface section (10b) perpendicular to the first principal face (2) of the window (1).

21. Semiconductor component pursuant to claim 20,

characterized by the fact that all of the lateral surfaces of the recess (8) have a first lateral surface section (10a) and a second lateral surface section (10b).

22. Semiconductor component pursuant to claim 20 or 21,

characterized by the fact that the first lateral surface section (10a) is a planar inclined surface that makes an angle with the normal to the multilayered structure (4) that is between 20°

and 30°

inclusive.

23. Semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 20 to 22,

characterized by the fact that at least the first lateral wall section (10a) is roughened.

24. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 1 to 23,

characterized by the fact that at least one of the contact surfaces (6, 11) is made as a reflective contact metallization.

25. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 1 to 24,

characterized by the fact that at least one of the contact surfaces (6, 11) is transparent to radiation.

26. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 1 to 25,

characterized by the fact that at least one of the contact surfaces (6, 11) contains platinum, palladium, silver, gold, nickel, or an alloy of these metals.

27. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 1 to 26,

characterized by the fact that at least one of the contact surfaces (6, 11) has a thickness between 5 nm and 200 nm, preferably between 10 nm and 100 nm.

28. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 1 to 27,

characterized by the fact that the window (1) is manufactured from the epitaxy substrate used for the epitaxial growth of the multilayered structure (4).

29. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 1 to 28,

characterized by the fact that the refractive index of the material of the window (1) is greater than the refractive index of the material of the multilayered structure (4), especially of the active layer (5).

30. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 1 to 29,

characterized by the fact that the window (1) contains sapphire, quartz glass, diamond, ITO, tin oxide, zinc oxide, indium oxide, silicon carbide, or gallium phosphide.

31. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 1 to 30,

characterized by the fact that the multilayered sequence (4) is made from nitride-based semiconductor materials.

32. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 1 to 31,

characterized by the fact that the multilayered structure (4) is made on gallium nitride-based semiconductor materials and preferably contains at least one of the compounds Al_1-xGa_xN, 0≦

x≦

1, In_1-xGa_xN, 0≦

x≦

1, In_1-xAl_xN, 0≦

x≦

1 and Al_1-x-yIn_xGa_yN, 0≦

x≦

1, 0≦

y≦

1.

33. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 1 to 32,

characterized by the fact that the window (1) consists of silicon carbide or is based on silicon carbide, and the multilayered sequence (4) is made from nitride-based semiconductor materials.

5. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component with a multilayered structure (4) that contains a radiation-emitting active layer (5), and a window (1) transparent to radiation that has a first principal face (2) and a second principal face (3) opposite the first principal face and that adjoins the multilayered structure (4), with the window (1) having at least one recess (8) forming radiation-output surfaces at an angle to the first principal face (2), characterized by the fact that the multilayered structure (4) is provided at least partially with a contact surface (6) that has a plurality of openings (14).

6. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to claim 5,

characterized by the fact that the second principal face (3) and/or at least one lateral face of the window and/or of the recess adjoining the second principal face (3) is provided at least partially with another contact surface (11).

7. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to claim 6,

characterized by the fact that the other contact surface (6) has a plurality of openings.

8. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component with a multilayered structure (4) that contains a radiation-emitting active layer (5), and a window (1) transparent to radiation that has a first principal face (2) and a second principal face (3) opposite the first principal face and whose first principal face (2) adjoins the multilayered structure (4), with the window (1) having at least one recess (8) forming radiation-output surfaces at an angle to the first principal face (2),

characterized by the fact that the second principal face (3) is provided at least partially with a contact surface (11) that has a plurality of openings (14).

9. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to claim 8,

characterized by the fact that the contact surface (11) also covers at least partially a lateral face of the window and/or of the recess adjoining the second principal face (3).

10. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to claim 8 or 9,

characterized by the fact that the multilayered structure (4) is provided at least partially with another contact surface (6).

11. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to claim 10,

characterized by the fact that the other contact surface (6) has a plurality of openings (14).

12. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 4 to 11,

characterized by the fact that at last some of the openings (14) are circular, square, rectangular, hexagonal, or in the form of crossed slits.

13. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 4 to 12,

characterized by the fact that the openings (14) are arranged regularly, at least in subregions of the contact surfaces (6, 11).

14. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 4 to 13,

characterized by the fact that the openings (14) consist of crossed slits and are arranged at least in subregions of the contact surfaces (6, 11) with maximum packing density, with the distance between the openings (14) being no smaller than the arm width of the crossed slits.

34. Method for manufacturing a radiation-emitting semiconductor component with a multilayered structure (4) that contains a radiation-emitting active layer (5), and a window (1) transparent to radiation that has a first principal face (2) and a second principal face (3) opposite the first principal face, and whose first principal face (2) adjoins the multilayered structure (4), with at least one recess (8) being formed in the window (1) and with at least one lateral surfaces of the window and/or or the recess being provided at least partially with a first contact surface (11), characterized by the steps

preparation of a window layer (20) with a first principal face (26) and a second principal face (27) opposite the first principal face

application of a semiconductor layer sequence (21) to the first principal face (26) of the window layer (20)

structuring the window layer (21), with at least one recess being produced in the second principal face (27)

production of a contact surface (25) on the side of the second principal face (27) of the window layer (20),

completion of the semiconductor component.

35. Method pursuant to claim 34, characterized by the fact that the contact surface (25) is contact metallization produced by vapor deposition.

36. Method pursuant to claim 35, characterized by the fact that

a vapor-deposition source (30) with a preferential direction is used for vapor deposition, and the window layer to be subjected to vapor deposition is positioned at an angle to this preferential direction.

37. Method pursuant to one of the claims 34 to 36, characterized by the fact that the semiconductor layer sequence (21) is applied epitaxially to the window layer (20).

38. Method pursuant to one of the claims 34 to 37, characterized by the fact that the semiconductor layer sequence (21) is applied to the window layer (20) by a wafer-bonding method.

39. Method pursuant to one of the claims 34 to 38, characterized by the fact that the process steps are carried out in the order application of a semiconductor layer sequence, structuring of the second principal face (27), production of the contact surface.

40. Method pursuant to one of the claims 34 to 38, characterized by the fact that the process steps are carried out in the order structuring of the second principal face (27), production of the contact surface (25), application of the semiconductor layer sequence (21).

41. Method pursuant to one of the claims 34 to 38, characterized by the fact that the process steps are carried out in the order prestructuring of the second principal face (27), production of the contact surface (25), application of the semiconductor layer sequence (21), final structuring of the second principal face (27).

42. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component with a multilayered structure (4) that contains a radiation-emitting active layer (5), and a window (1) transparent to radiation that is positioned exclusively on the side of the multilayered structure (4) facing away from a principal direction of radiation of the semiconductor component and has at least one lateral wall (10) that has a lateral wall section (10a) that is inclined, concave, or stepped relative to a mid-axis of the semiconductor body perpendicular to the multilayered structure, which changes to a second lateral wall section (10b) perpendicular to the multilayered structure, i.e. parallel to the mid-axis, in its further extension toward the back when viewed from the multilayered structure (4), with the part of the window (1) encircling the second lateral wall section (10b) constituting a mounting base for the semiconductor component, characterized by the fact that the multilayered structure (4) is provided at least partially with a contact surface (6) that has a plurality of openings (14).

43. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to claim 42, characterized by the fact that the window (1) is made from the epitaxy substrate used for the epitaxial growth of the multilayered structure (4).

44. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to claim 42 or 43,

characterized by the fact that the refractive index of the material of the window (1) is greater than the refractive index of the material of the multilayered structure (4), particularly of the active layer (5).

45. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 42 to 44,

characterized by the fact that the window (1) consists of silicon carbide or is based on silicon carbide, and the multilayered sequence (4) is made of semiconductor materials based on nitride.

46. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to claim 45, characterized by the fact that the multilayered sequence (4) is made of [material] based on gallium nitride.

47. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to claim 46, characterized by the fact that the multilayered sequence (4) contains at least one of the compounds Al_1-xGa_xN, 0≦

x≦

1, In_1-xGa_xN, 0≦

x≦

1, In_1-xAl_xN, 0≦

x≦

1, and Al_1-x-yIn_xGa_yN, 0≦

x≦

1, 0≦

y≦

1.

48. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 42 to 47,

characterized by the fact that all of the lateral faces of the window (1) have a first lateral wall section (10a) and a second lateral wall section (10b).

49. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 42 to 48,

characterized by the fact that the first lateral wall section (10a) is a planar inclined surface that makes an angle with the mid-axis that is between 20°

and 30°

inclusive.

50. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 45 to 49,

characterized by the fact that the semiconductor component has a square lateral cross section, all four lateral flanks of the window (1) have a planar inclined first lateral wall section (10a), with the ratio of the edge length of the multilayered structure (4) to the edge length of the mounting base being between 1.5 and 2 inclusive, and with special preference being 1.35.

51. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 42 to 50, characterized by the fact that at least the first lateral wall section is roughened.

52. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 42 to 51,

characterized by the fact that the openings (14) are circular, square, rectangular, hexagonal, or in the form of crossed slits.

53. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 42 to 52,

characterized by the fact that the openings (14) are arranged regularly at least in subregions of the contact surface (6).

54. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 42 to 53,

characterized by the fact that the openings (14) are crossed slits, and are arranged with maximum packing density at least in subregions of the contact surfaces (6, 11), with the distance between the openings (14) being no smaller than the arm width of the crossed slits.

55. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 42 to 54,

characterized by the fact that the contact surface (6) is made as a reflective contact metallization.

56. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 42 to 55,

characterized by the fact that the contact surface (6) is transparent to radiation.

57. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 42 to 56,

characterized by the fact that the contact surfaces (6, 11) contain silver, gold, nickel, preferably platinum or palladium, or an alloy of these metals.

58. Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 42 to 57,

characterized by the fact that the contact surfaces (6) have a thickness between 5 nm and 200 nm, preferably between 10 nm and 100 nm.

59. Radiation-emitting optical component with a radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to one of the claims 42 to 58,

characterized by the fact that the optical component has a reflector trough with inclined or parabolic lateral walls in which the semiconductor component is mounted so that the window layer faces the bottom of the reflector trough.

60. Radiation-emitting optical component pursuant to claim 59, characterized by the fact that the lateral walls of the reflector trough are coated with material that increases reflection.

61. Radiation-emitting optical component pursuant to claim 59 or 60,

characterized by the fact that the lateral walls of the reflector trough are designed so that the radiation emitted from the semiconductor component toward the back is reflected upward from the inclined lateral walls in one and the same direction to the greatest possible extent to the active layer.