Method of making light emitting diode

• US 6,319,778 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2000
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Epistar Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Epitaxy Company (Epistar Corporation)
• Inventors: Chang, Chih-Sung, Yang, Kuang-Neng, Chen, Tzer-Perng
• Primary Examiner(s): Elms, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUU, PHO M
• Application Number:
  US09/672,978
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 438/273, 438/250, 438/210, 437/127, 437/23, 437/228, 437/90, 257/94, 257/95, 257/97
• US Class Current: 438/273
• 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 33/62 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body, e.g. lead-frames, wire-bonds or solder balls

Abstract

A method of making a light emitting diode (LED) is disclosed. An emitting light absorbed by a substrate can be prevented by using a metal with high conductivity and high reflectivity and a bonding process can be produced at a lower temperature and a better welding performance can be obtained by using a solder layer could be fused into a liquid-state. Furthermore, an industry standard vertical LED chip structure is provided and only requiring a single wire bond that results in easy LED assembly and the manufacture cost can be reduced. An LED chip size can be greatly reduced and with good heat dissipation, therefore the LED has better reliability performance and can be operated at much higher current.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a light emitting diode, comprising:

providing an epitaxial structure has a plurality of III-V compound semiconductor layers to generate light with injection current;

providing a silicon substrate has a first ohmic contact metal layer on one side and a second ohmic contact metal layer on the other side; and

providing a low-temperature conductive solder layer for bonding the epitaxial structure to the silicon substrate.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the low-temperature conductive solder layer is composed of a material selected from a group of AuSn alloy, PbSn alloy and In.

3. The method according to claim 1, the epitaxial structure stacked sequentially comprises a first conductive type substrate, a first conductive type etching stop layer, a first conductive type lower cladding layer, an active layer, a second conductive type upper cladding layer and a second conductive type surface cap layer.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first conductive type substrate is GaAs.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first conductive type etching stop layer is GaInP or AlGaAs.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the active layer has a quantum well structure.

7. The method according to claim 3, further comprises a step of forming a third ohmic contact metal layer with high reflectivity on the second conductive type surface cap layer before bonding the epitaxial structure and the silicon substrate.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the third ohmic contact metal layer with high reflectivity is composed of a material selected from a group of Au, Al and Ag.

9. The method according to claim 3, further comprises a step of removing the first conductive type substrate and the first conductive type etching stop layer after bonding the epitaxial structure and the silicon substrate together.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the method of removing the first conductive type substrate and the first conductive type etching stop layer comprises chemical etching technology or dry etching technology.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprises a step of providing a fourth ohmic contact metal layer to cover the lower cladding layer after removing the first conductive type substrate and the first conductive type etching stop layer.

12. A method for manufacturing a light emitting diode, comprising:

providing an epitaxial structure has a plurality of III-V compound semiconductor layers to generate light with injection current, wherein the epitaxial structure stacked sequentially comprises a first conductive type substrate, a first conductive type etching stop layer, a first conductive type lower cladding layer, an active layer, a second conductive type upper cladding layer and a second conductive type surface cap layer;

providing a silicon substrate has a first ohmic contact metal layer on one side and a second ohmic contact metal layer on the other side;

forming a third ohmic contact metal layer with high reflectivity on the second conductive type surface cap layer;

providing a low-temperature conductive solder layer for bonding the epitaxial structure to the silicon substrate, wherein a material of the low-temperature conductive solder layer is selected from a group composed of AuSn alloy, PbSn alloy and In;

removing the first conductive type substrate and the first conductive type etching stop layer; and

forming a fourth ohmic contact metal layer to cover the lower cladding layer.