Light-emitting semiconductor component

• US 6,784,027 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Wirth, Ralph, Streubel, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Long
• Application Number:
  US10/308,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20030164505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 438/22, 438/26, 438/46, 438/119, 438/121, 438/122
• US Class Current: 438/122
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3672 Foil-like cooling fins or heat sinks being part of lead-frames H01L23/49568
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/32 of an individual layer connector
• 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 2924/01004 Beryllium [Be]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01015 Phosphorus [P]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01019 Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01021 Scandium [Sc]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01031 Gallium [Ga]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01068 Erbium [Er]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0132 Binary Alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/07811 Extrinsic, i.e. with electrical conductive fillers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10158 at the passive surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10329 Gallium arsenide [GaAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12036 PN diode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12041 : LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 : with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate
• 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: H01L 33/642 : characterized by the shape

Abstract

A light-emitting semiconductor component having: a semiconductor element containing an active layer, electrical contacts for impressing a current into the active layer (heat being generated at the active layer and at the electrical contacts during operation), and a carrier with a large thermal capacity for absorbing the heat generated during operation. The rear side of the semiconductor element is electrically and thermally connected to the carrier by a conductive adhesive. Recesses, which accommodate a part of the conductive adhesive when the semiconductor element is connected to the carrier, are provided in the rear side of the semiconductor element.

Claims

1. A light-emitting semiconductor component, comprising:

a semiconductor element including an active layered structure;

electrical contacts for impressing a current into said active layered structure;

a carrier for said semiconductor element, said carrier acting as a heat sink; and

a conductive adhesive electrically and thermally connecting said carrier to said semiconductor element;

said semiconductor element having a side facing said carrier; and

said side formed with a plurality of recesses for accommodating a portion of said conductive adhesive between said semiconductor element and said carrier.

2. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein:

said semiconductor element includes a substrate carrying said active layered structure; and

said plurality of said recesses are formed in said substrate.

3. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 2, wherein said active layered structure is epitaxially grown onto said substrate.

4. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of said recesses are formed as trenches.

5. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 4, wherein each one of said trenches has a cross section selected from a group consisting of a square cross section, a rectangular cross section, a triangular cross section, and a trapezoidal cross section.

6. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of said recesses are formed as pits.

7. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 6, wherein each one of said plurality of said recesses has a shape selected from a group consisting of a square shape, a pyramid-shape, and a conical shape.

8. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of said recesses are essentially completely filled with said conductive adhesive.

9. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein each one of said recesses has a depth between 2 μ

m and 80 μ

m, inclusively.

10. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein each one of said recesses has a depth between 5 μ

m and 40 μ

m, inclusively.

11. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein each one of said recesses has a depth between 10 μ

m and 20 μ

m, inclusively.

12. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein:

said semiconductor component has a thickness; and

each one of said plurality of said recesses has a depth between 1% and 40%, inclusively, of said thickness of said semiconductor component.

13. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein:

said semiconductor component has a thickness; and

each one of said plurality of said recesses has a depth between 2% and 20%, inclusively, of said thickness of said semiconductor component.

14. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein:

said semiconductor component has a thickness; and

each one of said plurality of said recesses has a depth between 5% and 10%, inclusively, of said thickness of said semiconductor component.

15. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein:

said side of said semiconductor element has an overal area and a non-structured area; and

a ratio between said non-structured area and said overall area is between 10% and 90%, inclusively.

16. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein:

said side of said semiconductor element has an overal area and a non-structured area; and

a ratio between said non-structured area and said overall area is between 25% and 75%, inclusively.

17. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein:

said side of said semiconductor element has an overal area and a non-structured area; and

a ratio between said non-structured area and said overall area is between 40% and 60%, inclusively.

18. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein each one of said plurality of said recesses has a shape and an output surface equivalent to that of all others of said plurality of said recesses.

19. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of said recesses are configured in a regular grid.

20. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of said recesses are symmetrically configured.

21. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein:

said carrier has a front side facing said side of said semiconductor element; and

said conductive adhesive includes a continuous thin layer configured between said side of said semiconductor element and said front side of said carrier.

22. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 21, wherein said continuous thin layer has a thicknes between 0.01 μ

m and 1 μ

m, inclusively.

23. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 21, wherein said continuous thin layer has a thickness between 0.05 μ

m and 0.25 μ

m, inclusively.

24. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein:

said side of said semiconductor element has an overal area and a non-structured area;

a ratio between said non-structured area and said overall area is between 10% and 90%, inclusively;

said carrier has a front side facing said side of said semiconductor element;

said conductive adhesive includes a continuous thin layer configured between said side of said semiconductor element and said front side of said carrier; and

said continuous thin layer has a thicknes between 0.01 μ

m and 1 μ

m, inclusively.

25. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 24, wherein said thickness of said continous thin layer is between 0.05 μ

m and 0.25 μ

m, inclusively.

26. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 24, wherein said ratio between said non-structured area and said overall area is between 25% and 75%, inclusively.

27. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 24, wherein said ratio between said non-structured area and said overall area is between 40% and 60%, inclusively.

28. The light-emitting semiconductor component according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor element includes a GaAs substrate.