Inverted light emitting diode

• US 6,169,294 B1
• Filed: 09/08/1998
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Formosa Epitaxy Incorporated (Epistar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Epistar Corporation
• Inventors: Chia-Cheng, Liu, Biing-Jye, Lee, Tarn, Jacob C., Ming-Jiunn, Jou, Chang, Chuan-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): CARROLL, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US09/149,260
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 257/79, 257/88, 257/99, 257/103, 257/621, 257/622, 257/624
• US Class Current: 257/79
• 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 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements
• 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 nitride light emitting diode is fabricated on a transparent sapphire substrate. The LED is then mounted upside-down on a conductive silicon substrate with a bottom electrode to serve as the output terminal for the cathode of the LED. The LED die is partially etched to expose the anode of the LED, where a top electrode is formed. In comparison with conventional LED structure with both electrodes located on top of the die, moving one electrode to the bottom allows more light to be transmitted upward and reflects the light incident downward. For equal amount of light emission, the new structure occupies less area.

Claims

1. An inverted light emitting diode comprising:

a conducting substrate having a first surface and a partially etched second surface;

a first electrode formed on said first surface;

a first type electrode contact layer formed on an unetched portion of said second surface;

a first soldering layer formed over said first type electrode for connecting to the ohmic contact layer of said light emitting diode;

an insulating layer formed on said partially etched second surface;

a metal layer formed on said insulating layer;

a second electrode formed on a section of said metal layer; and

a second soldering layer formed over a second section of said metal layer for connecting the second ohmic contact layer of said light emitting diode.

2. An inverted light emitting diode as described in claim 1, wherein said conductive substrate is selected from a group consisting of silicon, gallium arsenide, gallium phosphide and silicon carbide.

3. An inverted light emitting diode as described in claim 1, wherein said first soldering layer is selected from a group consisting of:

gold-tin compound and indium metal.

4. An inverted light emitting diode as described in claim 1, further comprising:

a first type ohmic contact layer formed over said first soldering layer;

a second type ohmic contact layer formed over said second soldering layer;

a second type cladding layer formed over said second ohmic contact layer;

a light emitting layer formed over said second type cladding layer;

a first type cladding layer formed over said light emitting layer;

a buffer layer formed over said first type cladding layer and said first type ohmic contact layer;

a nucleation layer formed over said buffer layer; and

a transparent insulating layer formed over said nucleation layer.