Vertical gallium nitride based light emitting diode with multiple electrode branches

• US 7,791,100 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Lee, Su Yeol, Kim, Tae Jun, Kim, Dong Woo, Choi, Seok Beom
• Primary Examiner(s): Gurley; Lynne A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Webb; Vernon P
• Application Number:
  US11/602,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20070114564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 257/103, 257/E33.006, 257/E33.065, 257/E33.068, 257/E33.074, 257/94, 257/98
• US Class Current: 257/103
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/38 with a particular shape

Abstract

A vertical GaN-based LED includes an n-type bonding pad; an n-electrode formed under the n-type bonding pad; a light-emitting structure formed by sequentially laminating an n-type GaN layer, an active layer, and a p-type GaN layer under the n-electrode; a p-electrode formed under the light-emitting structure; and a support layer formed under the p-electrode. The light-emitting structure has or or more trenches which are spaced at a predetermined distance with the n-electrode from the outermost side of the light-emitting structure and in which the active layer of the light-emitting structure is removed.

Claims

1. A vertical GaN-based LED comprising:

an n-type bonding pad;

an n-electrode formed under the n-type bonding pad;

a light-emitting structure formed by sequentially laminating an n-type GaN layer, an active layer, and a p-type GaN layer under the n-electrode;

a p-electrode formed under the light-emitting structure; and

a support layer formed under the p-electrode,

wherein the light-emitting structure has one or more trenches which are spaced at a predetermined distance with the n-electrode from the outermost side of the light-emitting structure and in which the trenches run through the n type GaN layer and the active layer and terminate over the p-type GaN layer,

and wherein the n-electrode includes one or more negative branch electrodes extending in a direction where the negative branch electrodes are not overlapped with the trenches, the negative branch electrodes being formed on the light-emitting structure adjacent to the trench.

2. The vertical GaN-based LED according to claim 1,

wherein when the light-emitting structure has more than two trenches, the trenches adjacent to each other around the n-electrode are disposed so as to be spaced at a uniform distance.

3. The vertical GaN-based LED according to claim 1, wherein the n-type and p-electrodes are composed of a conductive body with high reflectance.

4. The vertical GaN-based LED according to claim 1, wherein the n-type or p-electrode is formed to have such a structure that a transparent electrode and a reflecting electrode are sequentially laminated.