Light-emitting semiconductor component comprising a protective diode

US7693201B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Tony Albrecht · Bad Abbach, DE
• Peter Brick · Regensburg, DE
• Marc Philippens · Regensburg, DE
• Glenn-Yves Plaine · Regensburg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 26, 2004
• Grant date: Apr 6, 2010
• Expiry date: Dec 7, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S5/40
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A light-emitting semiconductor component which contains a sequence of semiconductor layers (2) with an area of p-doped semiconductor layers (4) and n-doped semiconductor layers (3) between which a first pn junction (5a, 5b) is formed. The pn junction (5a, 5b) is subdivided into a light-emitting section (7) and a protective-diode section (8) in a lateral direction by means of an insulating section (6). An n-doped layer (9), which forms a second pn junction (10) which acts as a protective diode along with the p-doped area (4), is applied to the p-doped area (4) in the area of the protective-diode section (8), the first pn junction (5b) in the protective-diode section (8) having a larger area than the first pn junction (5a) in the light-emitting section (7). The protective-diode section (8) protects the light-emitting semiconductor component from voltage pulses due to electrostatic discharges (ESD).