Semiconductor light emitting element and method for manufacturing the same

• US 8,975,098 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2013
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nichia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nichia Corporation
• Inventors: Matsumura, Hiroaki, Abe, Takashi, Nakagawa, Kyosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thinh T
• Application Number:
  US13/944,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20140024150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 438/22, 438/25, 438/26, 438/27, 438/29, 257/13, 257/98, 257/99
• US Class Current: 438/22
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0016 relating to 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

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting element includes preparing a semiconductor stacked layer structure by stacking a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer in this order, forming a second electrode and an insulating layer in this order on the second semiconductor layer, exposing the first semiconductor layer by removing a part of the second semiconductor layer, forming a first electrode by forming a metal layer on the exposed first semiconductor layer and the insulating layer and flattening a surface of the metal layer, forming a first electrode-side bonding layer having a top layer made of Au on the first electrode, preparing a support substrate including a support substrate-side bonding layer having a top surface made of Au, and bonding the first electrode-side bonding layer and the support substrate-side bonding layer.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting element comprising:

preparing a semiconductor stacked layer structure by stacking a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer in this order;

forming portions of a second electrode on the second semiconductor layer;

exposing the first semiconductor layer by removing a part of the second semiconductor layer;

forming an insulating layer on the portions of the second electrode;

forming a first electrode by forming a metal layer on the exposed first semiconductor layer and the insulating layer, and flattening a surface of the metal layer;

on the first electrode, forming a first electrode-side bonding layer having a top layer made of Au;

preparing a support substrate comprising a support substrate-side bonding layer having a top surface made of Au; and

bonding the first electrode-side bonding layer and the support substrate-side bonding layer.

2. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises an alloy comprising Al.

3. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises an AlCu alloy.

4. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode has a thickness of 3 μ

m or greater and 10 μ

m or less from the exposed surface of the first semiconductor layer to the bottom surface of the first electrode.

5. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein flattening a surface of the metal layer to form the first electrode is performed by using a chemical mechanical polishing technology.