METHOD OF FORMING A DIELECTRIC LAYER ON A SEMICONDUCTOR LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE

• US 20100308367A1
• Filed: 04/23/2010
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lumileds LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.), Philips Lumileds Lighting Company LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Philips Lumileds Lighting Company LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.), Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: ALDAZ, Rafael I., NEFF, James G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,989,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/99
• 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 33/005 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0093 Wafer bonding; Removal of the growth substrate
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/44 characterised by the coatings, e.g. passivation layer or anti-reflective coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/62 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body, e.g. lead-frames, wire-bonds or solder balls

Abstract

A semiconductor structure comprising a light emitting layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region is formed. A first metal contact is formed on a portion of the n-type region and a second metal contact is formed on a portion of the p-type region. The first and second metal contacts are formed on a same side of the semiconductor structure. A dielectric material is disposed between the first and second metal contacts. The dielectric material is in direct contact with a portion of the semiconductor structure, a portion of the first metal contact, and a portion of the second metal contact. A planar surface is formed including a surface of the first metal contact, a surface of the second metal contact, and a surface of the dielectric material

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming a semiconductor structure comprising a light emitting layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region;

forming a first metal contact on a portion of the n-type region and a second metal contact on a portion of the p-type region, wherein the first and second metal contacts are formed on a same side of the semiconductor structure

disposing a dielectric material between the first and second metal contacts, wherein the dielectric material is in direct contact with a portion of the semiconductor structure, a portion of the first metal contact, and a portion of the second metal contact; and

forming a planar surface, the planar surface including a surface of the first metal contact, a surface of the second metal contact, and a surface of the dielectric material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein forming a first metal contact and a second metal contact occurs before disposing a dielectric material between the first and second metal contacts.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

disposing a dielectric material occurs before forming a first metal contact and a second metal contact; and

disposing a dielectric layer comprises;

forming a dielectric material over the semiconductor structure; and

removing portions of the dielectric material to expose portions of the n-type region and the p-type region on which the first and second metal contacts are disposed.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising etching away a portion of the dielectric material between the first and second metal contacts, after forming a planar surface.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein after etching away a portion of the dielectric material, a top surface of the dielectric material is less than 500 nm below a top surface of the second metal contact.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material is one of a polymer, polyimide, and a benzocyclobutene-based material, and wherein disposing a dielectric material comprises disposing the dielectric material by spin-on coating.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the dielectric material is one of an inorganic material, silicon dioxide, and silicon nitride, and wherein disposing a dielectric material comprises disposing the dielectric material by one of chemical vapor deposition, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and a vacuum deposition technique.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein forming a planar surface comprises removing material by chemical mechanical polishing.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein after forming a planar surface, dielectric material is disposed over the first metal contact and the second metal contact, the method further comprising:

forming a first opening in the dielectric material to expose a portion of the first metal contact;

forming a second opening in the dielectric material to expose a portion of the second metal contact;

disposing metal in the first and second openings;

forming a third metal contact in direct contact with the metal in the first opening; and

forming a fourth metal contact in direct contact with the metal in the second opening.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein:

at least a portion of the first metal contact substantially surrounds the second metal contact; and

a segment of the portion first metal contact which substantially surrounds the second metal contact is omitted and replaced with a dielectric bridge;

the method further comprising;

connecting the first and second metal contacts to a mount such that the dielectric bridge is aligned with a contact pad on the mount, wherein the contact pad is electrically connected to the second metal contact.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein forming a semiconductor structure comprises growing the semiconductor structure on a growth substrate, the method further comprising:

connecting the first and second metal contacts to a mount; and

removing the growth substrate.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

disposing a compliant bonding structure between the semiconductor structure and a mount; and

bonding the semiconductor structure to the mount, wherein bonding causes the compliant bonding structure to collapse such that the compliant bonding structure electrically and mechanically connects the semiconductor structure to the mount and wherein the compliant bonding structure remains in a solid phase during bonding.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the compliant bonding structure comprises a plurality of metal bumps.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the bumps are gold.

15. A device comprising:

a semiconductor structure comprising a light emitting layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region;

a first metal contact disposed on a portion of the n-type region and a second metal contact disposed on a portion of the p-type region, wherein the first and second metal contacts are formed on a same side of the semiconductor structure a dielectric material disposed between the first and second metal contacts, wherein the dielectric material is in direct contact with a portion of the semiconductor structure, a portion of the first metal contact, and a portion of the second metal contact; and

a top surface of the device, including a surface of the first metal contact, a surface of the second metal contact, and a surface of the dielectric material, is sufficiently planar to support the semiconductor structure during removal of a growth substrate.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the first metal contact substantially surrounds the second metal contact.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein a top surface of the dielectric layer is less than 500 nm below a top surface of the second metal contact.