3-D structure for increasing contact surface area for LEDs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11164995-B2
Application number	US-202016810457-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2020
Priority date	Feb 20, 2020
Publication date	Nov 2, 2021
Grant date	Nov 2, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an apparatus including a first three-dimensional (3-D) structure and a second 3-D structure. The first 3-D structure may include a first-type doped semiconductor material having semi-polar facets. The second 3-D structure may form a light-emitting diode (LED). The second 3-D structure may include a second-type doped semiconductor material, an active layer, and the first-type doped semiconductor material. The apparatus may also include a conductive layer which at least partially overlays and is in ohmic contact with the semi-polar facets of the first-type doped semiconductor material. The first-type doped semiconductor material of the first 3-D structure and the first-type doped semiconductor material of the second 3-D structure may be etched from a common first-type doped semiconductor epitaxial layer. In some embodiments, the first-type doped semiconductor material may include an N-type doped semiconductor material, and the second-type doped semiconductor material may include a P-type doped semiconductor material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
obtaining a first three-dimensional (3-D) structure and a conductive layer,
wherein the first 3-D structure comprises an N-type doped semiconductor material and including a semi-polar facet of the N-type doped semiconductor material,
wherein the conductive layer at least partially overlays and is in ohmic contact with the semi-polar facet of the N-type doped semiconductor material, and
using the conductive layer as part of an N-type contact for a light-emitting diode (LED) formed as a second 3-D structure comprising a P-type doped semiconductor material, an active layer, and an N-type doped semiconductor material, and
wherein the N-type doped semiconductor material of the first 3-D structure and the N-type doped semiconductor material of the second 3-D structure are etched from a common N-type doped semiconductor epitaxial layer.

2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the first 3-D structure has a substantially similar height as the second 3-D structure.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first 3-D structure has a substantially similar mesa shape as the second 3-D structure.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein both the first 3-D structure and the second 3-D structure have a domed shape.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first 3-D structure and the second 3 -D structure have different shapes.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first 3-D structure has a rectangular plateau shape, and the second 3-D structure has a parabolic shape.

7. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the conductive layer at least partially overlays the first 3-D structure and supports an N-contact bump bond for the LED,
wherein a second conductive layer at least partially overlays the second 3-D structure and supports a P-contact bump bond for the LED, and
wherein the N-contact bump bond and the P-contact bump bond have similar heights with respect to a substrate on which the first 3-D structure and the second 3-D structure are formed.

8. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the first 3-D structure further comprises the P-type doped semiconductor material and an active layer,
wherein the P-type doped semiconductor material of the first 3-D structure and the P-type doped semiconductor material of the second 3-D structure are etched from a common P-type doped semiconductor epitaxial layer, and
wherein the active layer of the first 3-D structure and the active layer of the second 3-D structure are etched from a common epitaxial layer.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the conductive layer further overlays, at least partially, surfaces of the P-type doped semiconductor material and the active layer of the first 3-D structure.

10. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the N-type doped semiconductor material of the first 3-D structure further includes a C-plane facet, and
wherein the conductive layer further overlays, at least partially, and is in ohmic contact with, the C-plane facet of the N-type doped semiconductor material.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the N-type doped semiconductor material comprises aluminum indium gallium phosphide (AlInGaP).

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the N-type doped semiconductor material comprises a III-Nitride material.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive layer comprises a metal.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive layer comprises a transparent conducting oxide.

Assignees

• Facebook Tech Llc

Inventors

• Thompson Daniel Bryce

Classifications

• H10H20/032

  of electrodes · CPC title

• H10H20/857

  Interconnections, e.g. lead-frames, bond wires or solder balls · CPC title

• H10H20/833

  Transparent materials · CPC title

• H10H20/8314

  extending at least partially onto an outer side surface of the bodies · CPC title

• H10H20/8242

  characterised by the dopants · CPC title