Method for fabricating semiconductor light emitting device

• US 8,916,401 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2013
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nichia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nichia Corporation
• Inventors: Matsumura, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Landau, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anya, Igwe U
• Application Number:
  US13/777,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20130178000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 257/98, 438/29
• US Class Current: 438/29
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0093 Wafer bonding; Removal of the growth substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/387 with a plurality of electrode regions in direct contact with the semiconductor body and being electrically interconnected by another electrode layer
• 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

Abstract

A method for fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device is provided. The method includes forming a semiconductor light emitting portion including a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer, a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer, and a light emitting layer disposed between the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer. The method also includes forming a first conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode connected to the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer; forming a second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode connected to the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer; and forming an insulator film covering the semiconductor light emitting portion, such that a first portion of the insulator film is surrounded by the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode and is separated from the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode by a separation area.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device, the method comprising:

forming a semiconductor light emitting portion including a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer, a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer, and a light emitting layer disposed between the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer;

forming a first conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode connected to the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer;

forming a second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode connected to the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer;

forming an insulator film covering the semiconductor light emitting portion, such that a first portion of the insulator film is surrounded by the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode and is separated from the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode by a separation area;

forming a first metallization layer made of metal materials or alloy materials in contact with at least the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode and the insulator film, wherein the first metallization layer has an area approximately as large as an area of the semiconductor light emitting portion in a plan view of the semiconductor light emitting portion; and

joining the first metallization layer and a second metallization layer formed on a substrate.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode comprises:

forming a mask corresponding to the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode on an upper surface of the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer of the semiconductor light emitting portion; and

stacking an electrode material on the upper surface of the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the insulator film comprises:

forming a mask to cover the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode;

stacking an insulating material on an upper surface of the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer; and

removing the mask.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode comprises:

stacking an insulator material on an entire upper surface of the semiconductor light emitting portion;

subsequently forming a mask corresponding to the insulator film on the insulator film material;

wet-etching a region corresponding to the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode; and

stacking an electrode material on the wet-etching region.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a region at which a plurality of second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrodes are disposed is provided in a cross sectional view of the semiconductor light emitting portion.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a region to which the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrodes are connected is provided in a plan view of the semiconductor light emitting portion.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a region at which a plurality of insulating films are disposed is provided in a cross sectional view of the semiconductor light emitting portion.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein a region to which the insulating films are connected is provided in a plan view of the semiconductor light emitting portion.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second metallization layers are formed of at least one of metal materials of Ti, Pt, Au, Sn, Au, Ag, Cu, Bi, Pb, or Zn, or of alloy materials of Ti, Pt, Au, Sn, Au, Ag, Cu, Bi, Pb, or Zn.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the first conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode comprises:

forming a mask on a region facing the insulator film across the semiconductor light emitting portion;

stacking an electrode material on the upper surface of the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer; and

removing the mask.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the first conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode and the insulator film are disposed on an upper surface of the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer, and

the first conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode is disposed to be separated from the insulator film.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the first conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode comprises:

reactive-ion etching a region where the first conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode is not formed.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode is formed by sputtering.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the insulator film is formed by sputtering.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein forming the semiconductor light emitting portion comprises:

forming the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer sequentially on a sapphire substrate, and

removing the sapphire substrate before forming the first conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

a continuous layer made of metal materials or alloy materials is disposed on outer sides of the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode and the insulator film; and

the separation area is formed of a space, or a layer made of the metal materials or the alloy materials is disposed in the separation area.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein another substrate is disposed on outer sides of the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode and the insulator film.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the light emitting portion is disposed between the first conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode and the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode,

the first conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode is disposed across the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer from the light emitting layer,

the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode is disposed across the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer from the light emitting layer, and

the first conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode and the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode are alternately disposed in plane view of the semiconductor light emitting portion.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein an area of the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode is larger than an area of the first conductivity -type semiconductor side electrode in a plan view of the semiconductor light emitting portion.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode is made of a light reflecting metal material.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the light reflecting metal material is at least one selected from the group consisting of Ag, Al, and Rh.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein a space is formed in the separation area.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein a width of the separation area is 1 to 10 μ

m.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein forming the semiconductor light emitting portion comprises:

forming the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer sequentially on a sapphire substrate, and

removing the sapphire substrate before forming the first conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode.

25. The method according to claim 1, wherein a width of the separation area is 1 to 10 μ

m.

26. A method for fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device, the method comprising:

forming a semiconductor light emitting portion on a first substrate, wherein the semiconductor light emitting portion includes a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer, a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer, and a light emitting layer disposed between the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer;

forming a first conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode connected to the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer;

forming a second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode connected to the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer;

forming an insulator film covering the semiconductor light emitting portion, such that a portion of the insulator film is separated from the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode by a separation area; and

filling the separation area with a first metallization layer made of metal materials or alloy materials in contact with at least the second conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode and the insulator film,

wherein the first metallization layer is joined with a second metallization layer formed on a second substrate.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein a width of the separation area is 1 to 10 μ

m.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein forming the semiconductor light emitting portion comprises:

removing the first substrate before forming the first conductivity-type semiconductor side electrode.

29. The method according to claim 26, wherein:

the first metallization layer has an area approximately as large as an area of the semiconductor light emitting portion in a plan view of the semiconductor light emitting portion.

30. The method according to claim 26, wherein the first and the second metallization layers are formed of at least one of metal materials of Ti, Pt, Au, Sn, Au, Ag, Cu, Bi, Pb, or Zn, or of alloy materials of Ti, Pt, Au, Sn, Au, Ag, Cu, Bi, Pb, or Zn.

31. The method according to claim 26, wherein the first substrate is a sapphire substrate.