Solid state lighting devices with dielectric insulation and methods of manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11227972-B2
Application number	US-201916553720-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2019
Priority date	Aug 9, 2010
Publication date	Jan 18, 2022
Grant date	Jan 18, 2022

Abstract

Solid state lighting devices and associated methods of manufacturing are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a solid state lighting device includes a first semiconductor material, a second semiconductor material spaced apart from the first semiconductor material, and an active region between the first and second semiconductor materials. The solid state lighting device also includes an indentation extending from the second semiconductor material toward the active region and the first semiconductor material and an insulating material in the indentation of the solid state lighting structure.

First claim

I claim:

1. A method for forming a solid state lighting device, comprising:
forming a solid state lighting structure on a substrate material, the solid state lighting structure having:
a first semiconductor material remaining over the substrate material after formation of the solid state lighting device;
a second semiconductor material over and spaced apart from the first semiconductor material, wherein the second semiconductor material has a surface facing away from the active region;
an active region between the first and second semiconductor materials; and
an indentation having sidewalls extending at least partially through the second semiconductor material and at most partially into the first semiconductor material, wherein the sidewalls are surrounded by at least one of the second semiconductor material and the active region, wherein the indentation has the sidewalls extending from the surface of the second semiconductor material into the active region;

disposing a conductive material on the second semiconductor material; and
electrically insulating, via an insulating material, the conductive material from at least one of the active region and the first semiconductor material, wherein the conductive material includes (a) a first conductive portion over the second semiconductor material and (b) a second conductive portion between the sidewalls of the indentation and below an upper surface of the insulating material, wherein electrically insulating the conductive material includes:
depositing an insulating material on the solid state lighting structure, the insulating material including a first insulating portion on the surface of the second semiconductor material and a second insulating portion in the indentation; and
removing the first insulating portion of the insulating material from the surface of the second semiconductor material, the second insulating portion remaining in the indentation; and

wherein depositing the conductive material includes forming an electrical contact by depositing the conductive material on the surface of the second semiconductor material and the second insulating portion of the insulating material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the second semiconductor material has a surface facing away from the active region; and
the sidewalls extend from the surface of the second semiconductor material into the active region; and
electrically insulating the conductive material includes interposing the insulating material between the conductive material and the active region and between the conductive material and the first semiconductor material.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:
electrically insulating the conductive material includes depositing the insulating material in the indentation prior to disposing the conductive material.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:
electrically insulating the conductive material includes at least partially filling the indentation with the insulating material prior to disposing the conductive material.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the indentation is a V-shaped indentation.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the sidewalls of the indentation converge toward one another as they extend toward the first semiconductor material.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein electrically insulating the conductive material includes depositing the insulating material in the indentation and generally conforming to the sidewalls of the indentation.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein electrically insulating the conductive material includes at least partially filling the indentation with the insulating material.

9. A method for forming a solid state lighting device, comprising:
forming a solid state lighting structure on a substrate material, the solid state lighting structure having:
a first semiconductor material remaining over the substrate material after formation of the solid state lighting device;
a second semiconductor material over and spaced apart from the first semiconductor material, wherein the second semiconductor material has a surface facing away from the active region; and
an active region between the first and second semiconductor materials; and
an indentation having sidewalls extending at least partially through the second semiconductor material and at most partially into the first semiconductor material, wherein the sidewalls are surrounded by at least one of the second semiconductor material and the active region, wherein the indentation has the sidewalls extending from the surface of the second semiconductor material into the active region;

disposing a conductive material on the second semiconductor material;
electrically insulating, via an insulating material, the conductive material from at least one of the active region and the first semiconductor material, wherein the conductive material includes (a) a first conductive portion over the second semiconductor material and (b) a second conductive portion between the sidewalls of the indentation and below an upper surface of the insulating material, wherein electrically insulating the conductive material includes:
depositing the insulating material on the solid state lighting structure, the insulating material including a first insulating portion on the surface of the second semiconductor material and a second insulating portion in the indentation and generally conforming to the sidewalls of the indentation; and
removing the first insulating portion of the insulating material from the surface of the second semiconductor material, the second insulating portion remaining in the indentation; and

wherein depositing the conductive material includes forming an electrical contact by depositing the conductive material on the surface of the second semiconductor material and the second insulating portion of the insulating material.

10. A method of forming a solid state lighting device, comprising:
forming a solid state lighting structure on a substrate material, the solid state lighting structure having:
a first semiconductor material remaining over the substrate material after formation of the solid state lighting device;
a second semiconductor material over and spaced apart from the first semiconductor material, wherein the second semiconductor material has a surface facing away from the active region; and
an active region between the first and second semiconductor materials; and
an indentation having sidewalls extending at least partially through the second semiconductor material and at most partially into the first semiconductor material, wherein the sidewalls are surrounded by at least one of the second semiconductor material and the active region, wherein the indentation has the sidewalls extending from the surface of the second semiconductor material into the active region;

disposing a conductive material on the second semiconductor material;
electrically insulating, via an insulating material, the conductive material from at least one of the active region and the first semiconductor material, wherein the conductive material includes (a) a first conductive portion over the second semiconductor material and (b) a second conductive portion between the sidewalls of the indentation and below an upper surface of the insulating material, wherein electrically insulating the conductive material includes:
depositing the insulating material on the solid state lighting structure, the insulating material including a first insulating portion on the surface of the second semiconductor material and a second insulating portion in the indentation; and
removing the first insulating portion of the insulating material from the surface of the second semiconductor material, the second insulating

Assignees

• Micron Technology Inc

Inventors

• Schellhammer Scott D

Classifications

• H10H20/825

  containing nitrogen, e.g. GaN · CPC title

• H10H20/821 Primary

  of the light-emitting regions, e.g. non-planar junctions · CPC title

• H10H20/812

  within the light-emitting regions, e.g. having quantum confinement structures · CPC title

• H10H20/01

  Manufacture or treatment · CPC title

• H10H20/8215 Primary

  characterised by crystalline imperfections, e.g. dislocations; characterised by the distribution of dopants, e.g. delta-doping · CPC title