High efficiency light emitting diode

• US 8,618,565 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2011
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seoul Viosys Co., Ltd. (Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Seoul Optodevice Company Limited (Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, Chang Youn, Lee, Joon Hee, You, Jong Kyun, Lim, Hong Chol
• Primary Examiner(s): GEBREMARIAM, SAMUEL A
• Application Number:
  US12/986,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20110227109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 257 98-100
• US Class Current: 257/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/22 Roughened surfaces, e.g. at the interface between epitaxial layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/382 the electrode extending partially in or entirely through the semiconductor body

Abstract

Provided is a high-efficiency light emitting diode (LED) that includes: a support substrate; a semiconductor stack positioned on the support substrate, the semiconductor stack including a p-type compound semiconductor layer, an active layer, and an n-type compound semiconductor layer; a first electrode positioned between the support substrate and the semiconductor stack and in ohmic contact with the semiconductor stack; a first bonding pad positioned on a portion of the first electrode that is exposed outside of the semiconductor stack; and a second electrode positioned on the semiconductor stack. Protrusions are formed on exposed surfaces of the semiconductor stack. In addition, the second electrode may be positioned between the first electrode and the support substrate and contacted with the n-type compound semiconductor layer through openings of the semiconductor stack.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode (LED), comprising:

a support substrate;

a semiconductor stack positioned on the support substrate, the semiconductor stack comprising a p-type compound semiconductor layer, an active layer, and an n-type compound semiconductor layer;

a first electrode positioned between the support substrate and the semiconductor stack, in ohmic contact with the semiconductor stack;

a first bonding pad positioned on a portion of the first electrode that is exposed outside of the semiconductor stack; and

a second electrode positioned on the upper surface of the semiconductor stack,

wherein the semiconductor stack has a substantially frusto-pyramidal shape and comprises first protrusions formed on the upper surface of the semiconductor stack and second protrusions formed on the side surfaces of the semiconductor stack, and

wherein the second protrusions comprise portions of the p-type compound semiconductor layer, the active layer, and the n-type compound semiconductor layer.

2. The LED of claim 1, wherein the first protrusions and the second protrusions extend in the same direction.

3. The LED of claim 2, wherein the second protrusions are formed by etching stepped surfaces of the semiconductor stack.

4. The LED of claim 1, wherein the second protrusions are formed by etching planar surfaces of the semiconductor stack.

5. The LED of claim 1, wherein the first protrusions and the second protrusions are formed by photo-enhanced chemical (PEC) etching.

6. The LED of claim 1, wherein the first protrusions and the second protrusions extend at different angles from each other with respect to the upper surface of the substrate.

7. The LED of claim 1, wherein the support substrate is a sapphire substrate.

8. The LED of claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises:

a protection layer; and

a reflection layer embedded in the protection layer.

9. The LED of claim 8, wherein:

the reflection layer is disposed between the protection metal layer and the semiconductor stack; and

a portion of the protection metal layer is exposed outside of the semiconductor stack.

10. The LED of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is in ohmic contact with the p-type compound semiconductor layer.

11. A light emitting diode (LED) comprising:

a support substrate;

a semiconductor stack disposed on the support substrate, the semiconductor stack comprising a p-type compound semiconductor layer, an active layer, and an n-type compound semiconductor layer, the p-type compound semiconductor layer being positioned closer to the support substrate than the n-type compound semiconductor layer;

an opening formed in the p-type compound semiconductor layer and the active layer and exposing the n-type compound semiconductor layer;

a p-electrode positioned between the p-type compound semiconductor layer and the support substrate and in ohmic contact with the p-type compound semiconductor layer;

an n-electrode positioned between the p-electrode and the support substrate, the n-electrode contacting the n-type compound semiconductor layer through the opening; and

a reflective insulating layer positioned between the p-electrode and the n-electrode, to reflect light from the active layer away from the support substrate.

12. The LED of claim 11, wherein the reflective insulating layer covers the sidewall of the opening, to insulate the n-electrode from the p-type compound semiconductor layer and the active layer.

13. The LED of claim 11, wherein the reflective insulating layer is a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR).

14. The LED of claim 11, wherein the reflective insulating layer is formed by alternately stacking at least two layers selected from the group consisting of Si_xO_yN_z, Ti_xO_y, Ta_xO_y, and Nb_xO_y layers.

15. The LED of claim 11, wherein the reflective insulating layer comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of Si, Ti, Ta, Nb, In, and Sn.

16. The LED of claim 11, wherein:

the p-electrode has openings exposing the p-type compound semiconductor layer; and

the reflective insulating layer extends into the openings of the p-type compound semiconductor layer.

17. The LED of claim 11, further comprising a p-electrode pad disposed on a portion of the p-electrode that is exposed outside of the semiconductor stack.

18. The LED of claim 17, further comprising an n-electrode pad disposed on a portion of the n-electrode that is exposed outside of the semiconductor stack.

19. The LED of claim 11, further comprising a bonding metal positioned between the n-electrode and the support substrate.

20. The LED of claim 11, wherein the p-electrode comprises a transparent conductive oxide.

21. The LED of claim 11, wherein protrusions are formed on the upper surface and the side surfaces of the semiconductor stack.

22. A light emitting diode (LED), comprising:

a substrate;

a semiconductor stack positioned on the substrate, the semiconductor stack comprising a first compound semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second compound semiconductor layer;

a first electrode positioned between the substrate and the semiconductor stack;

a first bonding pad positioned on a portion of the first electrode that is exposed outside of the semiconductor stack; and

a second electrode positioned on the upper surface of the semiconductor stack,

wherein the semiconductor stack comprises first protrusions formed on the upper surface of the semiconductor stack and second protrusions formed on a side surface of the semiconductor stack, and the side surface and the upper surface are not disposed in orthogonal planes, and

wherein the second protrusions comprise portions of the first compound semiconductor layer, the active layer, and the second compound semiconductor layer.