Vertical structure LEDs

• US 9,224,907 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2014
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Suzhou Lekin Semiconductor Company Limited
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jong Lam, Jeong, In-kwon, Yoo, Myung Cheol
• Primary Examiner(s): Mandala, Victor A
• Application Number:
  US14/496,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20150048307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 7/006 Thin film resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 7/008 Thermistors H01C7/02 - H01C7/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0802 Resistors only
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/20 Resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0025 comprising only AIIIBV compounds
• 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 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/12 with a stress relaxation structure, e.g. buffer layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/36 characterised by the 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
• 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: Y10S 438/958 Passivation layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/977 Thinning or removal of substrate

Abstract

A vertical structure light-emitting device includes a conductive support, a light-emitting semiconductor structure disposed on the conductive support structure, the semiconductor structure having a first semiconductor surface, a side semiconductor surface and a second semiconductor surface, a first electrode electrically connected to the first-type semiconductor layer, a second electrode electrically connected to the second-type semiconductor layer, wherein the second electrode has a first electrode surface, a side electrode surface and a second electrode surface, wherein the first electrode surface, relative to the second electrode surface, is proximate to the semiconductor structure; and wherein the second electrode surface is opposite to the first electrode surface, and a passivation layer disposed on the side semiconductor surface and the second semiconductor surface.

Claims

1. A light-emitting device, comprising:

a metal support structure;

a GaN-based semiconductor structure on the metal support structure, the GaN-based semiconductor structure including a p-type GaN semiconductor layer, a GaN active layer, and an n-type GaN semiconductor layer,

wherein the GaN-based semiconductor structure includes a first surface, and a side surface, and a second surface,

wherein the first surface, relative to the second surface, is proximate to the metal support structure,

wherein the second surface is opposite to the first surface, and

wherein a thickness of the metal support structure is 10 times thicker than the GaN-based semiconductor structure;

a p-type electrode on the metal support structure;

an n-type electrode on the second surface of the GaN-based semiconductor structure; and

a passivation layer on the first surface, the side surface, and the second surface of the GaN-based semiconductor structure.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the GaN-based semiconductor structure is less than or equal to 100 times a thickness of the p-type layer.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the GaN-based semiconductor structure is less than or equal to 5 times a thickness of the n-type layer.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the GaN-based semiconductor structure is less than or equal to 1.7 times a thickness of the n-type layer.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the metal support structure comprises Cu.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the GaN-based semiconductor structure is less than about 5 microns thick.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the passivation layer covers a side surface and an upper surface of the n-type electrode.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the passivation layer covering the side surface of the n-type electrode is larger than the passivation layer covering the upper surface of the n-type electrode.

9. The device according to claim 7, further comprising a metal pad on the passivation layer covering the upper surface of the n-type electrode.

10. A light-emitting device, comprising:

a conductive support structure;

a semiconductor structure on the conductive support structure, the semiconductor structure including a p-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and an n-type semiconductor layer,

wherein the semiconductor structure includes a first surface, a side surface, and a second surface,

wherein the first surface, relative to the second surface, is proximate to the conductive support structure,

wherein the second surface is opposite to the first surface, and

wherein a thickness of the conductive support structure is 10 times thicker than the semiconductor structure;

a p-type electrode on the conductive support structure;

an n-type electrode on the second surface of the semiconductor structure; and

a passivation layer on the first surface, the side surface, and the second surface of the semiconductor structure, wherein the passivation layer covers a side surface and an upper surface of the n-type electrode.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein a thickness of the semiconductor structure is less than or equal to 100 times a thickness of the p-type layer.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein a thickness of the semiconductor structure is less than or equal to 5 times a thickness of the n-type layer.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein a thickness of the semiconductor structure is less than or equal to 1.7 times a thickness of the n-type layer.

14. The device according to claim 10, further comprising a metal pad on the passivation layer covering the upper surface of the n-type electrode.

15. A light-emitting device, comprising:

a support structure;

a semiconductor structure on the support structure, the semiconductor structure including a first-type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second-type semiconductor layer,

wherein the semiconductor structure includes a first surface, a side surface, and a second surface,

wherein the first surface, relative to the second surface, is proximate to the support structure, wherein the second surface is opposite to the first surface, and

wherein a thickness of the support structure is 10 times thicker than of the semiconductor structure;

a first-type electrode on the support structure;

a second-type electrode on the second surface of the semiconductor structure; and

a passivation layer on the first surface, the side surface, and the second surface of the semiconductor structure,

wherein the passivation layer covers a side surface and an upper surface of the second-type electrode.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein a thickness of the semiconductor structure is 100 times or less than a thickness of the first-type layer.

17. The device according to claim 15, wherein a thickness of the semiconductor structure is 5 times or less than a thickness of the second-type layer.

18. The device according to claim 15, wherein a thickness of the semiconductor structure is 1.7 times or less than a thickness of the second-type layer.

19. The device according to claim 15 further comprising a metal pad disposed on the passivation layer covering the upper surface of the second-type electrode.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the metal pad contacts the passivation layer covering the upper surface of the second-type electrode.