Vertical topology light-emitting device

• US 9,000,477 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2014
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suzhou Lekin Semiconductor Company Limited
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoo, Myung Cheol
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, BRADLEY
• Application Number:
  US14/179,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20140231822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 257/79, 257/103
• US Class Current: 257/103
• 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 33/04 with a quantum effect structure or superlattice, e.g. tunnel junction
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/12 with a stress relaxation structure, e.g. buffer layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/14 with a carrier transport control structure, e.g. highly-doped semiconductor layer or current-blocking structure
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/46 Reflective coating, e.g. dielectric Bragg reflector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/54 having a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements
• 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: H01L 33/641 characterized by the materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/647 the elements conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body

Abstract

A vertical topology light emitting device comprises a metal support structure; an adhesion structure on the metal support structure, wherein the adhesion structure comprises a first adhesion layer and a second adhesion layer on the first adhesion layer; a metal layer on the adhesion structure, wherein the adhesion structure is thicker than the metal layer; a GaN-based semiconductor structure on the metal layer, wherein the GaN-based semiconductor structure has a thickness less than 5 micrometers; a multi-layered electrode structure on the GaN-based semiconductor structure; and a protective layer on a side surface and a top surface of the GaN-based semiconductor structure, wherein the protective layer is further disposed on the multi-layered electrode structure.

Claims

1. A light emitting device, comprising:

a metal support structure;

an adhesion structure on the metal support structure, wherein the adhesion structure comprises a first adhesion layer and a second adhesion layer on the first adhesion layer;

a metal layer on the adhesion structure, wherein the adhesion structure is thicker than the metal layer;

a GaN-based semiconductor structure on the metal layer, wherein the GaN-based semiconductor structure has a thickness less than 5 micrometers;

a multi-layered electrode structure on the GaN-based semiconductor structure; and

a protective layer on a first side surface, a second side surface, and a top surface of the GaN-based semiconductor structure, wherein the protective layer is further disposed on the multi-layered electrode structure.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer contacts the side surface of the GaN-based semiconductor structure.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer contacts the top surface of the GaN-based semiconductor structure.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer contacts a side surface of the multi-layered electrode structure.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer contacts a top surface of the multi-layered electrode structure.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the metal layer comprises Ti.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the metal layer comprises a portion which directly contacts a p-type GaN layer of the GaN-based semiconductor structure.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the metal support structure has a thickness less than 100 micrometers.

9. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a transparent contact layer which contacts a p-type GaN layer of the GaN-based semiconductor structure.

10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a reflective metal contact which contacts a p-type GaN layer of the GaN-based semiconductor structure.

11. A light emitting device, comprising:

a metal support structure;

an adhesion structure on the metal support structure, wherein the adhesion structure comprises a first adhesion layer and a second adhesion layer on the first adhesion layer;

a metal layer on the adhesion structure, wherein the adhesion structure is thicker than the metal layer;

a GaN-based semiconductor structure on the metal layer, wherein the GaN-based semiconductor structure has a thickness less than 5 micrometers;

a multi-layered electrode structure on the GaN-based semiconductor structure; and

a protective layer on a first side surface, a second side surface, and a top surface of the GaN-based semiconductor structure, wherein the protective layer entirely covers a first side surface, a second side surface, and a top surface of the multi-layered electrode structure.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the metal layer comprises Ti.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the metal layer comprises a portion which directly contacts a p-type GaN layer of the GaN-based semiconductor structure.

14. The device according to claim 11, further comprising a transparent contact layer which contacts a p-type GaN layer of the GaN-based semiconductor structure.

15. The device according to claim 11, further comprising a reflective metal contact which contacts a p-type GaN layer of the GaN-based semiconductor structure.

16. The device according to claim 11, wherein the metal support structure has a thickness less than 100 micrometers.

17. The device according to claim 11, wherein the protective layer surrounds the first side surface and the second side surface of the multi-layered electrode structure.

18. The device according to claim 11, wherein the protective layer contacts the first side surface, the second side surface and the top surface of the multi-layered electrode structure.

19. The device according to claim 11, wherein the protective layer contacts at least one of the first side surface, the second side surface and the top surface of the GaN-based semiconductor structure.

20. The device according to claim 11, wherein the metal support structure comprises Cu.