Vertical gallium nitride based light emitting diode

• US 20070114564A1
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Dong, Choi, Seok, Kim, Tae, Lee, Su
• Granted Patent: US 7,791,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/103
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/38 with a particular shape

Abstract

A vertical GaN-based LED includes an n-type bonding pad; an n-electrode formed under the n-type bonding pad; a light-emitting structure formed by sequentially laminating an n-type GaN layer, an active layer, and a p-type GaN layer under the n-electrode; a p-electrode formed under the light-emitting structure; and a support layer formed under the p-electrode. The light-emitting structure has or or more trenches which are spaced at a predetermined distance with the n-electrode from the outermost side of the light-emitting structure and in which the active layer of the light-emitting structure is removed.

Claims

1. A vertical GaN-based LED comprising:

an n-type bonding pad;

an n-electrode formed under the n-type bonding pad;

a light-emitting structure formed by sequentially laminating an n-type GaN layer, an active layer, and a p-type GaN layer under the n-electrode;

a p-electrode formed under the light-emitting structure; and

a support layer formed under the p-electrode,

wherein the light-emitting structure has one or more trenches which are spaced at a predetermined distance with the n-electrode from the outermost side of the light-emitting structure and in which the active layer of the light-emitting structure is removed.

2. The vertical GaN-based LED according to claim 1,

wherein the n-electrode includes one or more negative branch electrodes extending in a direction where the negative branch electrodes are not overlapped with the trenches, the negative branch electrodes being formed on the light-emitting structure adjacent to the trench.

3. The vertical GaN-based LED according to claim 1,

wherein when the light-emitting structure has more than two trenches, the trenches adjacent to each other around the n-electrode are disposed so as to be spaced at a uniform distance.

4. The vertical GaN-based LED according to claim 1,

wherein the trench is formed by mesa-etching the n-type GaN layer and the active layer of the light-emitting structure.

5. The vertical GaN-based LED according to claim 1,

wherein the trench is formed by mesa-etching the n-type GaN layer, the active layer, and the p-type GaN layer of the light-emitting structure.

6. The vertical GaN-based LED according to claim 1,

wherein the n-type and p-electrodes are composed of a conductive body with high reflectance.

7. The vertical GaN-based LED according to claim 1,

wherein the n-type or p-electrode is formed to have such a structure that a transparent electrode and a reflecting electrode are sequentially laminated.