Semiconductor light emitting diodes having reflective structures and methods of fabricating same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A light emitting diode comprising:
- a diode region having first and second opposing faces and including therein an n-type layer and a p-type layer;
an anode contact that ohmically contacts the p-type layer and extends on the first face;
a transparent insulating layer that extends on the first face outside the anode contact, with said transparent insulating layer allowing at least 90 percent of the radiation impinging on it from said light emitting diode to emerge through it; and
a reflective cathode contact that electrically contacts the n-type layer and that extends through the transparent insulating layer and onto the transparent insulating layer that is outside the anode contact, to cover substantially all of the first face that is outside the anode contact with the reflective cathode contact.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Light emitting diodes include a diode region having first and second opposing faces that include therein an n-type layer and a p-type layer, an anode contact that ohmically contacts the p-type layer and extends on the first face, and a cathode contact that ohmically contacts the n-type layer and also extends on the first face. The anode contact and/or the cathode contact may further provide a hybrid reflective structure on the first face that is configured to reflect substantially all light that emerges from the first face back into the first face. Related fabrication methods are also described.
154 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A light emitting diode comprising:
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a diode region having first and second opposing faces and including therein an n-type layer and a p-type layer; an anode contact that ohmically contacts the p-type layer and extends on the first face; a transparent insulating layer that extends on the first face outside the anode contact, with said transparent insulating layer allowing at least 90 percent of the radiation impinging on it from said light emitting diode to emerge through it; and a reflective cathode contact that electrically contacts the n-type layer and that extends through the transparent insulating layer and onto the transparent insulating layer that is outside the anode contact, to cover substantially all of the first face that is outside the anode contact with the reflective cathode contact. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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11. A light emitting diode comprising:
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a diode region having first and second opposing faces and including therein an n-type layer and a p-type layer; an anode contact that ohmically contacts the p-type layer and extends on the first face; a transparent insulating layer that extends on the first face outside the anode contact; a reflective cathode contact that electrically contacts the n-type layer and that extends through the transparent insulating layer and onto the transparent insulating layer that is outside the anode contact, to cover substantially all of the first face that is outside the anode contact with the reflective cathode contact; an anode pad that is electrically connected to the anode contact; and a cathode pad that is electrically connected to the reflective cathode contact; the anode and cathode pads extending on the first face in closely spaced apart relation to one another to define a gap therebetween, the anode pad and the cathode pad both further extending on the reflective anode contact and wherein the reflective anode contact includes a break therein corresponding to the gap; the light emitting diode further comprising a reflective layer that is insulated from the anode pad and/or the cathode pad and that extends across the break.
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19. A light emitting diode comprising:
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a diode region having first and second opposing faces and including therein an n-type layer and a p-type layer; an anode contact that ohmically contacts the p-type layer and extends on the first face; a transparent insulating layer that extends on the first face outside the anode contact; a reflective cathode contact that electrically contacts the n-type layer and that extends through the transparent insulating layer and onto the transparent insulating layer that is outside the anode contact, to cover substantially all of the first face that is outside the anode contact with the reflective cathode contact; an anode pad that is electrically connected to the anode contact; and a cathode pad that is electrically connected to the reflective cathode contact; the anode and cathode pads extending on the first face in closely spaced apart relation to one another to define a gap therebetween; wherein the reflective cathode contact also provides a plating seed layer for the anode and cathode pads and wherein the anode and cathode pads are plated anode and cathode pads on the seed layer.
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25. A light emitting diode comprising:
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a diode region having first and second opposing faces and including therein an n-type layer and a p-type layer; an anode contact that ohmically contacts the p-type layer and extends on the first face; and a cathode contact that ohmically contacts the n-type layer and also extends on the first face; wherein the anode contact and/or the cathode contact further comprise a reflective structure on the first face that is configured to reflect substantially all light that emerges from the first face back into the first face, such that said reflective structure reflects the light that emerges from at least 90% of an area of the first face back into the first face. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A light emitting diode comprising:
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a diode region having first and second opposing faces and including therein an n-type layer and a p-type layer; a reflective anode contact that ohmically contacts the p-type layer and extends on the first face; and a reflective cathode contact that ohmically contacts the n-type layer and that extends on the first face, wherein the reflective anode contact and the reflective cathode contact are configured to collectively reflect at least 90% of all light that emerges from the first face back into the first face. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A light emitting diode comprising:
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a diode region having first and second opposing faces and including therein an n-type layer and a p-type layer; a transparent anode contact that ohmically contacts the p-type layer and extends on the first face; a transparent cathode contact that ohmically contacts the n-type layer and that extends on the first face; a transparent insulating layer that extends on the first face including on the transparent anode contact and the transparent cathode contact; and a reflective layer that is on the transparent insulating layer and that substantially covers the first face; wherein each of said transparent contacts and said transparent layer allow at least 90 percent of the radiation impinging on them from said light emitting diode to emerge through them. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
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39. A light emitting diode comprising:
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a diode region having first and second opposing faces and including therein an n-type layer and a p-type layer; a transparent anode contact that ohmically contacts the p-type layer and extends on the first face; a transparent cathode contact that ohmically contacts the n-type layer and that extends on the first face; a transparent insulating layer that extends on the first face including on the transparent anode contact and the transparent cathode contact; a reflective layer that is on the transparent insulating layer and that substantially covers the first face; and a current spreading layer between the transparent anode contact and the reflective layer and between the transparent cathode contact and the reflective layer. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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Specification