Light emitting diode

• US 9,076,935 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2012
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Inventors: Zhu, Jun, Zhang, Hao-Su, Li, Qun-Qing, Jin, Guo-Fan, Fan, Shou-Shan
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Armando
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alam, Mohammed R
• Application Number:
  US13/729,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20140008677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 257/98
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/22 Roughened surfaces, e.g. at the interface between epitaxial layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/44 characterised by the coatings, e.g. passivation layer or anti-reflective coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements

Abstract

A light emitting diode includes a source layer, a metallic plasma generating layer, a first optical symmetric layer, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The source layer includes a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer stacked in series. The first semiconductor layer includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first electrode covers and contacts the first surface. The second electrode is electrically connected with the second semiconductor layer. The metallic plasma generating layer is disposed on a surface of the source layer away from the first semiconductor layer. The first optical symmetric layer is disposed on a surface of the metallic plasma generating layer away from the first semiconductor layer. A refractive index difference between the source layer and the first optical symmetric layer is less than or equal to 0.3.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode comprising:

a source layer comprising a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer stacked in series, wherein the first semiconductor layer comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and the active layer and the second semiconductor layer are stacked on the second surface in series;

a first electrode covering and contacting the first surface of the first semiconductor layer;

a second electrode electrically connected with the second semiconductor layer, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are positioned on two opposite sides of the first semiconductor layer;

a lower optical symmetric layer disposed on the second semiconductor layer;

a metallic plasma generating layer disposed on a surface of the lower optical symmetric layer away from the first semiconductor layer;

an upper optical symmetric layer disposed on the metallic plasma generating layer; and

a first optical symmetric layer disposed on a surface of the upper optical symmetric layer away from the first semiconductor layer, wherein a refractive index difference between the source layer and the first optical symmetric layer is less than or equal to 0.3.

2. The light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein a refractive index of a material of the metallic plasma generating layer is a complex number comprising a real part and an imaginary part, the imaginary part is greater than zero or smaller than zero, a dielectric constant of the material of the metallic plasma generating layer is a second complex number comprising a second real part and a second imaginary part, and the second real part is a negative number.

3. The light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein a material of the metallic plasma generating layer is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, aluminum, copper, and an alloy thereof.

4. The light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein a material of the metallic plasma generating layer is a cermet comprising a metal material and a dielectric material.

5. The light emitting diode of claim 4, wherein the metal material is silver and the dielectric material is silicon dioxide.

6. The light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein a material of the lower optical symmetric layer is selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, magnesium fluoride, and lithium fluoride, and a material of the upper optical symmetric layer is selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, magnesium fluoride, and lithium fluoride.

7. The light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the lower optical symmetric layer is in a range from about 5 nanometers to about 40 nanometers, and a thickness of the upper optical symmetric layer is in a range from about 5 nanometers to about 40 nanometers.

8. The light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein a refractive index of the lower optical symmetric layer is in a range from about 1.2 to about 1.5, and a refractive index of the upper optical symmetric layer is in a range from about 1.2 to about 1.5.

9. The light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein a material of the first optical symmetric layer is selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, hafnium oxide, zirconia, yttria, and polyimide.

10. The light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein a refractive index of the first optical symmetric layer is in a range from about 2.2 to about 3.5.

11. The light emitting diode of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of three-dimensional nano-structures disposed on and contacting at least one of the first semiconductor layer, the active layer, the second semiconductor layer, and the first optical symmetric layer.

12. The light emitting diode of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of three-dimensional nano-structures has a first peak and a second peak aligned side by side, a first groove is defined between the first peak and the second peak, a second groove is defined between every two adjacent three-dimensional nano-structures, and a depth of the first groove is smaller than a depth of the second groove.

13. The light emitting diode of claim 11, wherein a cross-section of each of the plurality of three-dimensional nano-structures is M-shaped.

14. The light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein the first electrode covers the entire first surface of the first semiconductor layer.

15. A light emitting diode comprising:

a source layer comprising a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer stacked in series, wherein the first semiconductor layer comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and the active layer and the second semiconductor layer are stacked on the second surface in series;

a first electrode covering and contacting the first surface of the first semiconductor layer, wherein the first semiconductor layer is sandwiched between the first electrode and the active layer;

a second electrode electrically connected with the second semiconductor layer;

a lower optical symmetric layer disposed on the second semiconductor layer;

a metallic plasma generating layer disposed on a surface of the second semiconductor layer lower optical symmetric layer away from the first semiconductor layer; and

an upper optical symmetric layer disposed on the metallic plasma generating layer;

a first optical symmetric layer disposed on a surface of the upper optical symmetric layer away from the first semiconductor layer, wherein a refractive index difference between the source layer and the first optical symmetric layer is less than or equal to 0.3.

16. A light emitting diode comprising:

a source layer comprising a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer stacked in series, wherein the first semiconductor layer comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and the active layer and the second semiconductor layer are stacked on the second surface in series;

a first electrode covering and contacting the first surface of the first semiconductor layer, wherein the first semiconductor layer is located between the first electrode and the active layer;

a second electrode electrically connected with the second semiconductor layer;

a lower optical symmetric layer disposed on the second semiconductor layer;

a metallic plasma generating layer disposed on a surface of the lower optical symmetric layer away from the first semiconductor layer;

an upper optical symmetric layer disposed on the metallic plasma generating layer;

a plurality of three-dimensional nano-structures disposed on and contacting the active layer; and

a first optical symmetric layer disposed on a surface of the upper optical symmetric layer away from the first semiconductor layer, wherein a refractive index difference between the source layer and the first optical symmetric layer is less than or equal to 0.3.

17. The light emitting diode of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of three-dimensional nano-structures has a first peak and a second peak aligned side by side, a first groove is defined between the first peak and the second peak, a second groove is defined between every two adjacent three-dimensional nano-structures, and a depth of the first groove is smaller than a depth of the second groove.

18. The light emitting diode of claim 16,

wherein a material of the upper optical symmetric layer is substantially the same as that of the lower optical symmetric layer, and the material is selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, magnesium fluoride, and lithium fluoride.