METHOD OF FABRICATING VERTICAL STRUCTURE LEDS

• US 20100308368A1
• Filed: 06/09/2010
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suzhou Lekin Semiconductor Company Limited
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jong-Lam, Yoo, Myung Cheol, Jeong, In-Kwon
• Granted Patent: US 7,928,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/99
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 7/006 Thin film resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 7/008 Thermistors H01C7/02 - H01C7/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0802 Resistors only
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/20 Resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0025 comprising only AIIIBV compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0093 Wafer bonding; Removal of the growth substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0095 Post-treatment of devices, e.g. annealing, recrystallisation or short-circuit elimination
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/12 with a stress relaxation structure, e.g. buffer layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/36 characterised by the electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/38 with a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/40 Materials therefor
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/958 Passivation layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/977 Thinning or removal of substrate

Abstract

A method of fabricating semiconductor devices, such as GaN LEDs, on insulating substrates, such as sapphire. Semiconductor layers are produced on the insulating substrate using normal semiconductor processing techniques. Trenches that define the boundaries of the individual devices are then formed through the semiconductor layers and into the insulating substrate, beneficially by using inductive coupled plasma reactive ion etching. The trenches are then filled with an easily removed layer. A metal support structure is then formed on the semiconductor layers (such as by plating or by deposition) and the insulating substrate is removed. Electrical contacts, a passivation layer, and metallic pads are then added to the individual devices, and the individual devices are then diced out.

Claims

1-42. -42. (canceled)

43. A semiconductor light-emitting device, comprising:

a semiconductor structure having a first surface and a second surface, the semiconductor structure including a first-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second-type semiconductor layer, wherein the second surface is opposite the first surface;

a conductive support structure over the first surface of the semiconductor structure;

a first electrode electrically connected to the first-type semiconductor layer, wherein the first electrode is located between the conductive support structure and the first surface of the semiconductor structure;

a second electrode electrically connected to the second-type semiconductor layer; and

a passivation layer contacting the second surface of the semiconductor structure, wherein the portion of the passivation layer that contacts the second surface is located over the conductive support structure.

44. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the passivation layer is arranged over the first surface of the semiconductor structure.

45. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 44, wherein the passivation layer arranged over the first surface of the semiconductor structure contacts the first electrode.

46. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 44, wherein the passivation layer arranged over the first surface of the semiconductor structure covers a side surface of the first electrode.

47. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 44, wherein the passivation layer arranged over the first surface of the semiconductor structure covers at least two side surfaces of the first electrode.

48. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the first electrode comprises a first metallic layer having a first width and a second metallic layer having a second width.

49. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 48, wherein the first width and the second width are substantially the same.

50. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 48, wherein the first metallic layer and the second metallic layer include different materials.

51. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 48, wherein one of the first metallic layer and the second metallic layer includes a transparent conductive material.

52. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, further comprising a metallic pad over the second electrode.

53. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the second electrode is arranged over the second surface of the semiconductor structure.

54. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 53, wherein the passivation layer is positioned such that the passivation layer is located on a part of the second electrode.

55. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 53, wherein the second electrode contacts the second surface of the semiconductor structure.

56. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 53, wherein the passivation layer is arranged over a side surface of the semiconductor structure, and wherein the passivation layer arranged over the side surface of the semiconductor structure extends to the second surface of the semiconductor structure.

57. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 56, wherein the passivation layer extends along the second surface of the semiconductor structure in the direction of the second electrode.

58. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 56, wherein the passivation layer extends along the second surface of the semiconductor structure and is in contact with the second electrode.

59. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 49, wherein the first electrode has a third surface facing the semiconductor structure and the second electrode has a fourth surface facing the semiconductor structure, and wherein the area of the third surface is different from the area of the fourth surface.

60. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 53, wherein the passivation layer contacts the second surface of the semiconductor structure not covered by the second electrode.

61. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the first electrode contacts the semiconductor structure, and wherein the contact area between the first electrode and the semiconductor structure is greater than the contact area between the passivation layer and the second surface of the semiconductor structure.

62. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the passivation layer comprises material including at least one of Si, O, and N.

63. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the conductive support structure comprises a metal layer.

64. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 63, wherein the metal layer is a metal support layer.

65. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 63, wherein the metal layer comprises a metal selected from a group including Cu, Cr, Ni, Au, Ag, Mo, Pt, Pd, W, and Al.

66. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 63, wherein the metal layer is in contact with the first electrode.

67. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the passivation layer is disposed higher than the second electrode.

68. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the first-type semiconductor layer is a p-type layer and the second-type semiconductor layer is an n-type layer.

69. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the passivation layer is arranged over a side surface of the semiconductor structure.

70. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 69, wherein the passivation layer arranged over the side surface of the semiconductor structure extends to an upper surface of the conductive support structure.

71. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 69, wherein the passivation layer arranged over the side surface of the semiconductor structure is located above the conductive support structure.

72. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the conductive support structure comprises at least one metal structure.

73. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the conductive support structure comprises metallic material.

74. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the passivation layer is arranged partially between the conductive support structure and the semiconductor structure.

75. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the first electrode contacts the first surface of the semiconductor structure.

76. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the first electrode contacts the first surface of the semiconductor structure, and wherein the contact area between the first electrode and the first surface of the semiconductor structure is smaller than the entire area of the first surface of the semiconductor structure.

77. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the semiconductor structure is less than about 5 microns thick.

78. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the conductive support structure comprises a support layer.

79. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, further comprising a metal coating disposed between the conductive support structure and the first electrode.

80. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the first and second electrodes are located over the first and second surfaces, respectively.

81. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 43, wherein the passivation layer contacts the first-type semiconductor layer, the active layer, and the second-type semiconductor layer, and wherein the contact area between the passivation layer and the second-type semiconductor layer is greater than the contact area between the passivation layer and the first-type semiconductor layer.