Semiconductor Light Emitting Device, Illumination Module, Illumination Apparatus, Method For Manufacturing Semiconductor Light Emitting Device, and Method For Manufacturing Semiconductor Light Emitting Element

• US 20090008654A1
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagai, Hideo
• Granted Patent: US 7,906,788 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/88
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0095 Post-treatment of devices, e.g. annealing, recrystallisation or short-circuit elimination
• 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 semiconductor light emitting device (10) is provided with a base substrate (12) and three LED chips (14A, 14B, and 14C) disposed on the base substrate (12). Each LED chip (14A, 14B, and 14C) includes a semiconductor multilayer structure (20) and has a rhombus shape with interior angles of approximately 60 and approximately 120 in plan view. Each semiconductor multilayer structure (20) has an HCP single crystal structure and includes a light emission layer (24). The LED chips (14A, 14B, and 14C) are arranged on the base substrate (12) so as to face one another at a vertex forming the larger interior angle in plan view. With this arrangement, the LED chips (14A, 14B, and 14C) as a whole form a substantially regular hexagonal shape.

Claims

1. A semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

a base substrate; and

three light emitting elements each including a semiconductor multilayer structure with a light emission layer, and having a rhombus shape with interior angles of approximately 60° and

approximately 120°

in plan view, wherein

the three light emitting elements are arranged on one main surface of the base substrate so as to together form a substantially regular hexagonal shape in plan view.

2. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein

each semiconductor multilayer structure constitutes a diode,

each light emitting element includes an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, and

the three light emitting elements are connected in series by wiring a cathode electrode of one light emitting element to an anode electrode of another light emitting element.

3. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein

a crystal structure of the semiconductor multilayer structure is a hexagonal closest-packed single crystal structure.

7. An illumination module comprising:

a mounting substrate; and

the semiconductor light emitting device of claim 1 mounted on the mounting substrate.

8. An illumination apparatus comprising, as a light source, the illumination module of claim 7.

4. A semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

a base substrate; and

six light emitting elements each including a semiconductor multilayer structure with a light emission layer, and having a substantially regular triangular shape in plan view, wherein

the six light emitting elements are arranged on one main surface of the base substrate so as to together form a substantially regular hexagonal shape in plan view.

5. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 4, wherein

each semiconductor multilayer structure constitutes a diode,

each light emitting element includes an anode electrode and a cathode electrode,

three of the six light emitting elements constitute a first array and other three of the six light emitting elements constitute a second array, the three light emitting elements of each array are connected in series by wiring a cathode electrode of one light emitting element to an anode electrode of another light emitting element, and

the first and second arrays are connected in parallel.

6. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 4, wherein

a crystal structure of the semiconductor multilayer structure is a hexagonal closest-packed single crystal structure.

9. An illumination module comprising:

a mounting substrate; and

the semiconductor light emitting device of claim 4 mounted on the mounting substrate.

10. An illumination apparatus comprising, as a light source, the illumination module of claim 9.

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

a growing step of growing a semiconductor multilayer structure that includes a light emission layer, on one main surface of a substrate of which crystal structure is a hexagonal closest-packed single crystal structure having a (0001) plane;

a partitioning step of forming guide grooves in [1-210], [2-1-10], and [11-20] orientations in at least one of two main surfaces of the substrate so as to partition said at least one main surface, except along a periphery thereof, into a plurality of areas of a uniform shape;

a cleaving step of cleaving the substrate into a plurality of separate chips along the guide grooves; and

a combining step of arranging two or more of the chips so as to together form a substantially regular hexagonal shape in plan view.

12. The manufacturing method for a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein

the uniform shape is a rhombus with interior angles of approximately 60°

and approximately 120°

.

13. The manufacturing method for a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein

the uniform shape is a substantially regular triangle.

14. The manufacturing method for a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein

the uniform shape is a substantially regular hexagon.

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

a growing step of growing a semiconductor multilayer structure that includes a light emission layer, on one main surface of a substrate of which crystal structure is a hexagonal closest-packed single crystal structure having a (0001) plane;

a partitioning step of forming guide grooves in [1-210], [2-1-10], and [11-20] orientations in at least one of two main surfaces of the substrate so as to partition said at least one main surface, except along a periphery thereof, into a honeycomb pattern with a plurality of substantially regular hexagonal areas; and

a cleaving step of cleaving the substrate into a plurality of separate chips along the guide grooves.

16. The manufacturing method for a semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 15, further comprising:

a hole-forming step of forming, before the partitioning step, a deeper hole than the grooves at each vertex of each regular hexagonal area.

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

the cleaving step is performed by rolling, across the substrate, a substantially spherical pressure-applying member made of an elastic material, while pressing the pressure-applying member against the substrate in a thickness direction.