Patterned light-emitting devices

• US 20060204865A1
• Filed: 11/10/2005
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Luminus Devices Incorporated (Sanan Optoelectronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Luminus Devices Incorporated (Sanan Optoelectronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Karlicek, Robert F. Jr., Nemchuk, Nikolay I., Lim, Michael, Erchak, Alexei A., Lidorikis, Elefterios, Venezia, Jo A.
• Application Number:
  US11/272,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20060204865A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/7
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12041 LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0083 Periodic patterns for optical field-shaping in or on the semiconductor body or semiconductor body package, e.g. photonic bandgap structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/22 Roughened surfaces, e.g. at the interface between epitaxial layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/24 of the light emitting region, e.g. non-planar junction

Abstract

Light-emitting devices (e.g., LEDs) and methods associated with such devices are provided. The devices may include a first pattern and a second pattern which are formed at one or more interfaces of the device (e.g., the emission surface). The patterns may be positioned such that light generated by the device passes through the interfaces of the patterns when being emitted. The patterns can be defined by a series of features (e.g., vias, posts) having certain characteristics (e.g., feature size, depth, periodicity, nearest neighbor distance, etc.) which may be controlled to influence properties of the light emitted from the device, including improving extraction and/or collimation of the emitted light.

Claims

1. A light-emitting device including an emitting surface comprising:

a light-generating region;

a first pattern formed at an interface; and

a second pattern formed at an interface,

wherein light generated within the light-generating region and emitted through the emission surface passes through the interface of the first pattern and the interface of the second pattern.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and the second patterns intersect a portion of the light-generating region.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the light generated within the light-generating region and emitted through the emission surface passes through the first pattern and the second pattern.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first pattern is associated with a first interface and the second pattern is associated with a second interface.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the first interface is disposed over the second interface.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the first pattern and the second pattern are correlated to form a 3-dimensional lattice structure.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the first pattern and the second pattern are un-correlated.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the first interface is disposed over a layer having an index of refraction greater than 1.0, and the second interface is disposed under the layer having an index of refraction greater than 1.0.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the first pattern and the second pattern are associated with a first interface.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the first pattern is superimposed on the second pattern.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the first and the second pattern are formed on the emission surface.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first pattern or the second pattern includes features comprising vias.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first pattern or the second pattern includes features comprising posts.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the first pattern has a first average feature size and the second pattern has a second average feature size that is larger than the first feature size.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second patterns has an average feature size that is greater than about 0.5 times a peak wavelength of the emitted light.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second patterns has an average feature size smaller than about 10 times the peak wavelength of the emitted light.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second patterns has an average feature size that is greater than about 0.5 times a peak wavelength of the emitted light and less than about 5 times the peak wavelength of the emitted light.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second patterns has an average feature size that is less than about 5 times the peak wavelength of the emitted light and at least one of the first and second patterns has an average feature size that is greater than about 5 times the peak wavelength of the emitted light.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second patterns is periodic.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second patterns is non-periodic.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the at least one of the first and second patterns is random.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the at least one of the first and second patterns is a quasi-crystal pattern.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second patterns is periodic with de-tuning features.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second patterns is complex periodic and comprises a supercell.

25. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second patterns is capable of improving collimation of the emitted light.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second patterns is capable of improving the extraction efficiency of the emitted light.

27. The device of claim 1, wherein features of the second pattern cover an area greater than about 25% and less than about 90% of the emitting surface.

28. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second pattern extend to different depths into the device.

29. The device of claim 1, wherein the first pattern is formed in a first region of a first interface and the second pattern is formed in a second region of the first interface.

30. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second patterns is formed at an interface of an n-doped layer.

31. A light-emitting device including an emitting surface comprising:

a light-generating region;

a first pattern formed at an interface; and

a second pattern formed at an interface,

wherein at least one of the first and the second patterns intersects the light-generating region.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the first pattern and the second pattern intersects the light-generating region.

33. The device of claim 31, wherein light generated within the light-generating region and emitted through the emission surface passes through the first pattern and the second pattern.

34. The device of claim 31, wherein the first pattern is associated with a first interface and the second pattern is associated with a second interface.

35. The device of claim 31, wherein at least one of the patterns extends from a backside of the device.

36. The device of claim 31, wherein at least one of the first pattern or the second pattern includes features comprising vias.

37. A method of forming a light-emitting device comprising:

forming a light-generating region;

forming a first pattern at an interface; and

forming a second pattern at an interface,

wherein light generated within the light-generating region and emitted through the emission surface passes through the interface of the first pattern and the interface of the second pattern.

38. A method of forming a light-emitting device comprising:

forming a light-generating region;

forming a first pattern at an interface; and

forming a second pattern at an interface,

wherein at least one of the first and the second patterns intersects the light-generating region.

39. A method of operating a light-emitting device comprising:

generating light in a light-generating region;

transmitting light through a first pattern formed at an interface and a second pattern formed at an interface.