Semiconductor light source formed of layer stack with total thickness of 50 microns

• US 6,111,272 A
• Filed: 09/28/1998
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Heinen, Jochen
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaudhuri, Olik
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wille, Douglas A.
• Application Number:
  US09/162,689
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 257/99, 257/81, 257/91, 257/93, 257/95, 257/97, 257/94, 372/46, 372/48
• US Class Current: 257/94
• 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 33/0093 Wafer bonding; Removal of the growth substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/10 with a light reflecting structure, e.g. semiconductor Bragg reflector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/382 the electrode extending partially in or entirely through the semiconductor body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/405 Reflective materials
• 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 light source with low photon absorption is not only structurally simple, but is also easy to produce. The light source is formed of a layer stack with a total thickness of 50 μm which is secured at a separate carrier body and connected to contacts of the carrier body with this thickness alone i.e. without intimate connection to a substrate, by a separate connecting structure. The diode is advantageous for realizing IREDs and LEDs of high optical performance.

Claims

1. A semiconductor light source for generating photons and emitting photons, comprising:

a layer stack formed of a first conductivity type semiconductor layer followed by an optically active junction, which is turn followed by a semiconductor layer of second conductivity type;

a carrier body having first and second electrical contacts thereon, the first electrical contact supporting the second conductivity type semiconductor layer via a separate connecting structure which is separate from the second conductivity type semiconductor layer;

a depression extending upwardly through the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, through the optically active junction, and into a portion of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer;

a contact having a first portion at a top of the depression in contact with said first conductivity type semiconductor layer and having a portion extending downwardly out of the depression to a portion which lies on top of said first electrical contact on said carrier body, said contact being insulated from and not contacting said second conductivity type semiconductor layer supported by the first electrical contact; and

said layer stack formed of said first and second semiconductor layers and optical active layer having a total thickness of 50 μ

m at most.

2. The light source according to claim 1 wherein the second electrical contact on the carrier body comprises an electrical contact followed by an electrical insulating layer lying on top of the carrier body.

3. The light source according to claim 1 wherein said connecting structure for securing the layer of stack at the carrier body is formed of an electrically conductive glue.

4. The light source according to claim 1 wherein said separate connecting structure for securing the layer stack at the carrier body is formed of a solder which securely connects the first contact on the carrier body, which is a semiconductor contact, to the second conductivity type layer of the layer stack.