Surface treatment of a semiconductor light emitting device

• US 9,484,497 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2015
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lumileds LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Rong, Yiwen, Neff, James Gordon, Thang, Tak Seng
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Armando
• Application Number:
  US14/880,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20160072014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 387 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0025 relating to coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0041 relating to wavelength conversion elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0093 Wafer bonding; Removal of the growth substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/22 Roughened surfaces, e.g. at the interface between epitaxial layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/483 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/50 Wavelength conversion elements

Abstract

A semiconductor light-emitting device includes a semiconductor structure having a light-emitting region. A surface of the semiconductor structure has flattened peaks.

Claims

1. A semiconductor light-emitting device, comprising:

a semiconductor structure comprising a light-emitting region, wherein the semiconductor structure comprises;

an n-type region;

a p-type region;

the light-emitting region between the n- and the p-type regions;

an n-contact disposed on the n-type region; and

a p-contact disposed on the p-type region, wherein the n-contact is insulated by a gap from the active region, the p-type region, and the p-contact,

wherein a surface of the semiconductor structure comprises flattened peaks.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein each flattened peak comprises a flat top.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a wavelength converting material over the surface.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a mount, wherein the semiconductor structure is attached to the mount.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the surface comprises a surface of the n-type region.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the gap is filled with an insulating material.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the flattened peaks are formed by etching the surface and then treating the surface with plasma.

8. A light-emitting device, comprising:

a semiconductor structure, comprising;

an n-type region, wherein a surface of the n-type region comprises flattened peaks;

a p-type region;

a light-emitting region between the n- and the p-type regions;

an n-contact to the n-type region; and

a p-contact to the p-type region wherein the n-contact is insulated by a gap from the active region, the p-type region, and the p-contact;

a wavelength converting material over the surface of the n-type region; and

a mount supporting the semiconductor region.