Contacting scheme for large and small area semiconductor light emitting flip chip devices

US6828596B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Lumileds Lighting US, LLC · US

Inventors

• Daniel A. Steigerwald · Eindhoven, NL
• Jerome Chandra Bhat · San Francisco, US
• Michael J. Ludowise · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 13, 2002
• Grant date: Dec 7, 2004
• Expiry date: Jun 13, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10H20/8506

Abstract

In accordance with the invention, a light emitting device includes a substrate, a layer of first conductivity type overlying the substrate, a light emitting layer overlying the layer of first conductivity type, and a layer of second conductivity type overlying the light emitting layer. A plurality of vias are formed in the layer of second conductivity type, down to the layer of first conductivity type. The vias may be formed by, for example, etching, ion implantation, or selective growth of the layer of second conductivity type. A set of first contacts electrically contacts the layer of first conductivity type through the vias. A second contact electrically contacts the layer of second conductivity type. In some embodiments, the area of the second contact is at least 75% of the area of the device. In some embodiments, the vias are between 2 and 100 microns wide and spaced between 5 and 1000 microns apart.