Vertical structure LEDs

• US 8,896,017 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Suzhou Lekin Semiconductor Company Limited
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jong Lam, Jeong, In-kwon, Yoo, Myung Cheol
• Primary Examiner(s): Mandala, Victor A
• Application Number:
  US14/098,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20140091353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 257/79, 257/99, 257/103, 257/E33.025
• US Class Current: 257/99
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 7/006 Thin film resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 7/008 Thermistors H01C7/02 - H01C7/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0802 Resistors only
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/20 Resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0025 comprising only AIIIBV compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0093 Wafer bonding; Removal of the growth substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0095 Post-treatment of devices, e.g. annealing, recrystallisation or short-circuit elimination
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/12 with a stress relaxation structure, e.g. buffer layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/36 characterised by the electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/38 with a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/40 Materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/44 characterised by the coatings, e.g. passivation layer or anti-reflective coating
• 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: Y10S 438/958 Passivation layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/977 Thinning or removal of substrate

Abstract

A vertical structure light-emitting device includes a conductive support, a light-emitting semiconductor structure disposed on the conductive support structure, the semiconductor structure having a first semiconductor surface, a side semiconductor surface and a second semiconductor surface, a first electrode electrically connected to the first-type semiconductor layer, a second electrode electrically connected to the second-type semiconductor layer, wherein the second electrode has a first electrode surface, a side electrode surface and a second electrode surface, wherein the first electrode surface, relative to the second electrode surface, is proximate to the semiconductor structure; and wherein the second electrode surface is opposite to the first electrode surface, and a passivation layer disposed on the side semiconductor surface and the second semiconductor surface.

Claims

1. A light-emitting device, comprising:

a conductive support structure;

a semiconductor structure disposed on the conductive support structure, wherein the semiconductor structure comprises a first-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second-type semiconductor layer, wherein the semiconductor structure having a first semiconductor surface, a side semiconductor surface, and a second semiconductor surface, wherein the first semiconductor surface, relative to the second semiconductor surface, is proximate to the conductive support structure, and wherein the second semiconductor surface is opposite to the first semiconductor surface;

a first electrode electrically connected to the first-type semiconductor layer;

a second electrode electrically connected to the second-type semiconductor layer, wherein the second electrode has a first electrode surface, a side electrode surface, and a second electrode surface, wherein the first electrode surface, relative to the second electrode surface, is proximate to the semiconductor structure; and

wherein the second electrode surface is opposite to the first electrode surface; and

a passivation layer disposed on the side semiconductor surface and the second semiconductor surface, wherein the passivation layer comprises a first portion contacting the first-type semiconductor layer, a second portion contacting the active layer, a third portion contacting the second-type semiconductor layer, a fourth portion contacting the side electrode surface, and a fifth portion contacting the second electrode surface.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the third portion of the passivation layer is greater than the first portion of the passivation layer.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the third portion of the passivation layer is greater than the fourth portion of the passivation layer.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the third portion of the passivation layer is greater than the fifth portion of the passivation layer.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the fourth portion of the passivation layer is greater than the fifth portion of the passivation layer.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the fifth portion is patterned to form an open space to expose the second surface of the second electrode, and further comprising a metal pad disposed on the open space.

20. The device according to claim 6, wherein the third portion of the passivation layer is greater than the first electrode surface.

7. A light-emitting device, comprising:

a support structure;

a semiconductor structure disposed on the support structure, wherein the semiconductor structure comprises a first-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second-type semiconductor layer, wherein the semiconductor structure having a first semiconductor surface, a side semiconductor surface, and a second semiconductor surface, wherein the first semiconductor surface, relative to the second semiconductor surface, is proximate to the support structure, and wherein the second semiconductor surface is opposite to the first semiconductor surface;

a first electrode electrically connected to the first-type semiconductor layer;

a second electrode electrically connected to the second-type semiconductor layer, wherein the second electrode has a first electrode surface, a side electrode surface, and a second electrode surface, wherein the first electrode surface, relative to the second electrode surface, is proximate to the semiconductor structure, and wherein the second electrode surface is opposite to the first electrode surface; and

a passivation layer disposed on the side semiconductor surface and the second semiconductor surface, wherein the passivation layer comprises a portion contacting the second electrode surface, and

a metal pad disposed on the second electrode, wherein a part of the metal pad is disposed on the portion of the passivation layer.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the part of the metal pad contacts the portion of the passivation layer.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein the portion of the passivation layer is patterned to form an open space to expose the second electrode surface.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the metal pad is disposed on the open space,

wherein the portion of the passivation layer has a first surface, a side surface, and a second surface,

wherein the first surface, relative to the second surface, is proximate to the second electrode, and

wherein the second surface is opposite to the first surface.

11. The device according to claim 7, wherein a part of the metal pad is disposed on the side surface of the portion of the passivation layer.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the part of the metal pad contacts the side surface of the portion of the passivation layer.

13. A light-emitting device, comprising:

a conductive support structure comprising Cu;

a GaN-based semiconductor structure disposed on the conductive support structure, wherein the GaN-based semiconductor structure comprises a p-type GaN-based layer, a GaN-based active layer, and an n-type GaN-based layer, wherein the GaN-based semiconductor structure has a first semiconductor surface, a side semiconductor surface, and a second semiconductor surface, wherein the first semiconductor surface, relative to the second semiconductor surface, is proximate to the conductive support structure, wherein the second semiconductor surface is opposite to the first semiconductor surface, and wherein a thickness of the GaN-based semiconductor structure is less than 5 microns;

a p-type electrode electrically connected to the p-type GaN-based layer;

an n-type electrode electrically connected to the n-type GaN-based layer, wherein the n-type electrode has a first electrode surface, a side electrode surface, and a second electrode surface, wherein the first electrode surface, relative to the second electrode surface, is proximate to the semiconductor structure; and

wherein the second electrode surface is opposite to the first electrode surface; and

a passivation layer disposed on the side semiconductor surface and the second semiconductor surface, wherein the passivation layer comprises a first portion contacting the p-type GaN-based layer, a second portion contacting the GaN-based active layer, a third portion contacting the n-type GaN-based layer, a fourth portion contacting the side electrode surface, and a fifth portion contacting the second electrode surface.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the third portion of the passivation layer is greater than the first portion of the passivation layer.

15. The device according to claim 13, wherein the third portion of the passivation layer is greater than the fourth portion of the passivation layer.

16. The device according to claim 13, wherein the third portion of the passivation layer is greater than the fifth portion of the passivation layer.

17. The device according to claim 13, wherein the fourth portion of the passivation layer is greater than the fifth portion of the passivation layer.

18. The device according to claim 13, wherein the fifth portion of the passivation layer is patterned to form an open space to expose the second surface of the second electrode, and further comprises a metal pad disposed on the open space.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the third portion of the passivation layer is greater than the first electrode surface.