SEMICONDUCTOR LIGHT EMITTING ELEMENT AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

• US 20080116472A1
• Filed: 11/19/2007
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xiamen San'An Optoelectronics Co.Ltd. (Sanan Optoelectronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: TSUNODA, Atsuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,611,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0093 Wafer bonding; Removal of the growth substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/22 Roughened surfaces, e.g. at the interface between epitaxial layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/405 Reflective materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/44 characterised by the coatings, e.g. passivation layer or anti-reflective coating

Abstract

A semiconductor light emitting element including a conductive substrate, a bonding metal layer formed on the conductive substrate, a barrier layer formed on the bonding metal layer, a reflective layer formed on the barrier layer, an ohmic electrode layer formed on the reflective layer, a second conductivity type semiconductor layer formed on the ohmic electrode layer, a light emitting layer formed on the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, and a first conductivity type semiconductor layer formed on the light emitting layer, wherein outer peripheries of the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, the light emitting layer, and the first conductivity type semiconductor layer are removed, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided.

Claims

1. A semiconductor light emitting element, comprising:

a conductive substrate;

a bonding metal layer formed on said conductive substrate;

a barrier layer formed on said bonding metal layer;

a reflective layer formed on said barrier layer;

an ohmic electrode layer formed on said reflective layer;

a second conductivity type semiconductor layer formed on said ohmic electrode layer;

a light emitting layer formed on said second conductivity type semiconductor layer; and

a first conductivity type semiconductor layer formed on said light emitting layer,

wherein outer peripheries of said second conductivity type semiconductor layer, said light emitting layer, and said first conductivity type semiconductor layer are removed.

2. The semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein a surface thereof on a side adjacent to said first conductivity type semiconductor layer serves as a main light extracting surface.

3. The semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein an insulating film is formed at least partly in a portion where said outer peripheries are removed.

4. The semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 3, wherein said insulating film has an opening for extracting light.

5. The semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 4, wherein an area of the opening for extracting light in said insulating film is not less than 50% and not more than 99% of an area of a surface of said conductive substrate.

6. The semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein an area of a portion where said outer peripheries are removed is not less than 1% and not more than 50% of an area of a surface of said conductive substrate.

7. The semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein said bonding metal layer is made of gold or an alloy containing gold.

8. The semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein said barrier layer is made of nickel or an alloy containing nickel.

9. The semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein said reflective layer is made of silver or an alloy containing silver.

10. The semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein said ohmic electrode layer is made of palladium or an alloy containing palladium.

11. The semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein unevenness is formed on a surface of said first conductivity type semiconductor layer, and the surface of said first conductivity type semiconductor layer having said unevenness formed thereon serves as a main light extracting surface.

12. The semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein said second conductivity type semiconductor layer, said light emitting layer, and said first conductivity type semiconductor layer are made of nitride semiconductor.

13. A method of manufacturing the semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, comprising the step of removing outer peripheries of said second conductivity type semiconductor layer, said light emitting layer, and said first conductivity type semiconductor layer by dry etching.

14. The method of manufacturing the semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 13, further comprising the step of performing ultrasonic cleaning after said dry etching when said reflective layer is made of silver or an alloy containing silver.

15. The method of manufacturing the semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 13, further comprising the step of immersing surfaces of said second conductivity type semiconductor layer, said light emitting layer, and said first conductivity type semiconductor layer exposed by said dry etching, in an etchant.

16. The method of manufacturing the semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 15, further comprising the step of forming an insulating film on the surfaces of said second conductivity type semiconductor layer, said light emitting layer, and said first conductivity type semiconductor layer immersed in said etchant.

17. The method of manufacturing the semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 15, wherein said etchant is formed of a material that can etch at least one type selected from a group consisting of said bonding metal layer, said barrier layer, said reflective layer, and said ohmic electrode layer.

18. The method of manufacturing the semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 17, wherein when said bonding metal layer is made of gold or an alloy containing gold, said etchant is formed of a mixed solution of iodine, potassium iodide, an organic solvent, and water.

19. The method of manufacturing the semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 17, wherein when said barrier layer is made of nickel or an alloy containing nickel, said etchant is formed of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, or a nitric acid aqueous solution.

20. The method of manufacturing the semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 17, wherein when said reflective layer is made of silver or an alloy containing silver, said etchant is formed of a mixed solution of a phosphoric acid aqueous solution, a nitric acid aqueous solution, an acetic acid aqueous solution, and water.

21. The method of manufacturing the semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 17, wherein when said ohmic electrode layer is made of palladium or an alloy containing palladium, said etchant is formed of a mixed solution of hydrochloric acid and water.