Semiconductor light emitting device and manufacturing method thereof

• US 8,969,895 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2011
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jae Yoon, Lee, Jin Bock, Hwang, Seok Min, Lee, Su Yeol
• Primary Examiner(s): HENRY, CALEB E
• Application Number:
  US13/225,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20120098009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 257/98, 257/E33.064, 257/E33.074, 438/29
• US Class Current: 257/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0016 relating to electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0058 relating to optical field-shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/005 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/38 with a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/405 Reflective materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/42 Transparent materials

Abstract

A semiconductor light emitting device includes: a light emission structure in which a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second conductive semiconductor layer are sequentially stacked; a first electrode formed on the first conductive semiconductor layer; an insulating layer formed on the second conductive semiconductor layer and made of a transparent material; a reflection unit formed on the insulating layer and reflecting light emitted from the active layer; a second electrode formed on the reflection unit; and a transparent electrode formed on the second conductive semiconductor layer, the transparent electrode being in contact with the insulating layer and the second electrode.

Claims

1. A semiconductor light emitting device, comprising:

a light emission structure in which a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductive semiconductor layer are sequentially stacked;

a first electrode disposed on the first conductive semiconductor layer;

an insulating layer disposed on the second conductive semiconductor layer and made of a transparent material;

a reflection unit disposed on the insulating layer and reflecting light emitted from the active layer;

a second electrode disposed on the reflection unit; and

a transparent electrode disposed on the second conductive semiconductor layer, the transparent electrode being in direct contact with the insulating layer and the second electrode and surrounding side surfaces of the reflection unit,

wherein the insulating layer is disposed on the second conductive semiconductor layer in an area aligned in the stacking direction of the light emission structure with both the second electrode and the reflection unit.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the second electrode has a larger area than an area of the reflection unit in order to cover the reflection unit.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the insulating layer has a larger area than an area of the second electrode and is disposed on the second conductive semiconductor layer throughout the area aligned in the stacking direction of the light emission structure with the second electrode.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the active layer is disposed on a portion of one surface of the first conductive semiconductor layer, and the first electrode is disposed on an area, excluding the area in which the active layer is disposed, of the one surface of the first conductive semiconductor layer.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises a first main electrode and a first branch electrode extending from the first main electrode, and the second electrode comprises a second main electrode and a second branch electrode extending from the second main electrode.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein a width of the insulating layer is 2 to 6 times a width of the second branch electrode.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes include at least one of chromium (Cr) and gold (Au).

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the reflection unit includes at least one of aluminum (Al) and silver (Ag).

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the transparent electrode comprises at least one layer including an oxide selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium oxide (I0), tin-based oxide (SnO₂), zinc oxide (ZnO), and indium zinc oxide (IZO).

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the insulating layer ranges from 1,000Å

to 10,000Å

.

11. A lighting device comprising the semiconductor light emitting device of claim 1.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the insulating layer is disposed on the second conductive semiconductor layer between portions of the transparent electrode and the second conductive semiconductor layer.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the insulating layer is disposed between the second conductive semiconductor layer and the reflection unit such that the reflection unit does not directly contact the second conductive semiconductor layer.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the reflection unit is disposed on the insulating layer such that the reflection unit does not extend beyond an outer perimeter of the insulating layer.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the second electrode is in direct contact with the reflection unit and the transparent electrode.