Method for manufacturing and semiconductor light emitting device

• US 20060065906A1
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Harada, Mitsunori
• Granted Patent: US 7,442,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0041 relating to wavelength conversion elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/508 having a non-uniform spatial arrangement or non-uniform concentration, e.g. patterned wavelength conversion layer, wavelength conversion layer with a concentration gradient of the wavelength conversion material

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device can include providing a housing having a cavity and a power feed line, a light emitting element connected to the power feed line on a bottom face of the cavity, and a wavelength conversion layer provided within the cavity and containing a wavelength conversion material. When forming the wavelength conversion layer, a first resin with little or no wavelength conversion material can be filled inside the cavity such that the light emitting element surface is slightly exposed and a surface of the first resin is formed in a bowl shape. Then, a second resin with wavelength conversion material contained therein can be filled inside the cavity over the bowl-shaped first resin. These resins can be heated to be hardened. During heating, the viscosities of the resins are reduced to cause the wavelength conversion material to migrate and deposit around the light emitting element.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device, comprising:

providing a housing having a cavity, a power feed line, and a light emitting element electrically connected to the power feed line and located adjacent a bottom face of the cavity;

forming a wavelength conversion layer within the cavity, the wavelength conversion layer forming including,

filling a first optically transparent resin inside the cavity such that at least a portion of an upper surface of the light emitting element is exposed and a surface of the first optically transparent resin is formed in a substantial bowl shape with the surface of the first optically transparent resin rising upwards toward a periphery of the first optically transparent resin,

filling a second optically transparent resin inside the cavity and over the first optically transparent resin, the second optically transparent resin including a wavelength conversion material, and

hardening the first optically transparent resin and the second optically transparent resin.

2. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first optically transparent resin and the second optically transparent resin are each a thermosetting resin which has properties that reduce the viscosity thereof when heated, and the wavelength conversion material is a particulate material; and

hardening the first and second optically transparent resins includes heating the first and second optically transparent resins such that particles of the wavelength conversion material inside the second optically transparent resin precipitate downward due to the reduced viscosities of the first and second optically transparent resins and deposit adjacent a top of and around the light emitting element.

3. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the cavity widens upwards.

4. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 2, wherein the cavity widens upwards.

5. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the wavelength conversion material is a fluorescent material.

6. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 2, wherein the wavelength conversion material is a fluorescent material.

7. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 3, wherein the wavelength conversion material is a fluorescent material.

8. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

insertion molding the power feed line within the housing, the power feed line including a lead frame that is exposed at a bottom face of the cavity.

9. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 2, further comprising:

insertion molding the power feed line within the housing, the power feed line including a lead frame that is exposed at a bottom face of the cavity.

10. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 3, further comprising:

insertion molding the power feed line within the housing, the power feed line including a lead frame that is exposed at a bottom face of the cavity.

11. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 4, further comprising:

insertion molding the power feed line within the housing, the power feed line including a lead frame that is exposed at a bottom face of the cavity.

12. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein:

the power feed line includes an electrode layer formed of a conductive thin film on at least one of a surface of the housing, a side wall of the cavity, and the bottom face of the cavity.

13. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 2, wherein:

the power feed line includes an electrode layer formed of a conductive thin film on at least one of a surface of the housing, a side wall of the cavity, and the bottom face of the cavity.

14. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 3, wherein:

the power feed line includes an electrode layer formed of a conductive thin film on at least one of a surface of the housing, a side wall of the cavity, and the bottom face of the cavity.

15. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 4, wherein:

the power feed line includes an electrode layer formed of a conductive thin film on at least one of a surface of the housing, a side wall of the cavity, and the bottom face of the cavity.

16. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first optically transparent resin includes substantially no wavelength conversion material.

17. A semiconductor light emitting device manufactured by the method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1.

18. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device, comprising:

providing a housing having a cavity on an upper face of the housing and a power feed line;

placing a light emitting element adjacent a bottom face of the cavity and electrically connecting the light emitting element to the power feed line; and

forming a wavelength conversion layer inside the cavity that is configured such that the wavelength conversion layer includes particles of a wavelength conversion material configured to emit wavelength-converted light when exposed to excitation light from the light emitting element, and such that the semiconductor light emitting device emits a mixed light including the excitation light and the wavelength-converted light,

the wavelength conversion layer forming including,

filling a first optically transparent resin inside the cavity such that at least a portion of an upper surface of the light emitting element is exposed and a surface of the first optically transparent resin is formed in a substantial bowl shape with the surface of the first optically transparent resin rising up toward a periphery of the first optically transparent resin,

filling a second optically transparent resin inside the cavity over the first optically transparent resin, the second optically transparent resin including the wavelength conversion material, and

hardening the first optically transparent resin and the second optically transparent resin.

19. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 18, wherein the first optically transparent resin includes substantially no wavelength conversion material.

20. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 18, wherein:

the first optically transparent resin and the second optically transparent resin are each a thermosetting resin which has properties that reduce the viscosity of the thermosetting resin when heated; and

hardening the first and second optically transparent resins includes heating the first and second optically transparent resins such that particles of the wavelength conversion material inside the second optically transparent resin precipitate downward due to the reduced viscosities of the first and second optically transparent resins and deposits adjacent a top of and around the light emitting element.

21. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 18, further comprising:

insertion molding the power feed line within the housing, wherein the power feed line includes a lead frame that is exposed at a bottom face of the cavity.

22. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 18, wherein

the power feed line includes an electrode layer formed of a conductive thin film on at least one of a surface of the housing, a side wall of the cavity, and the bottom face of the cavity.