Optoelectronic device comprising a current spreading layer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11916166-B2
Application number	US-201917053805-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2019
Priority date	May 9, 2018
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

An optoelectronic device may include an optoelectronic semiconductor chip that is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation. The chip may include a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, first and second current spreading structures, and a plurality of electrical contact elements. The first current spreading layer may be arranged on a side of the second semiconductor layer facing away from the first semiconductor layer. The plurality of electrical contact elements may electrically connect the first semiconductor layer to the first current spreading layer. The second current spreading layer may be electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer. The second current spreading layer may be arranged between the first current spreading layer and the second semiconductor layer where an insulating layer insulates a first electrical contact element and a second electrical contact element from the second current spreading layer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing an optoelectronic device comprising:
forming an optoelectronic semiconductor chip configured to emit electromagnetic radiation, wherein the optoelectronic semiconductor chip comprises:
a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type;
a second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type;
a first current spreading layer and a second current spreading layer; and
a plurality of electrical contact elements, wherein the first semiconductor layer is arranged over the second semiconductor layer;
wherein electromagnetic radiation emitted by the optoelectronic semiconductor chip is output via a first main surface of the first semiconductor layer;
wherein the first current spreading layer is arranged on a side of the second semiconductor layer facing away from the first semiconductor layer;
wherein the plurality of electrical contact elements is configured to electrically connect the first semiconductor layer to the current spreading layer;
wherein the plurality of electrical contact elements comprises a first electrical contact element and a second electrical contact element, wherein the second current spreading layer is electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer; and
forming an insulating layer between the first electrical contact element and the second current spreading layer and between the second electrical contact element and the second current spreading layer, wherein a first insulating layer is formed adjacent to the first contact element and comprises a first laterally measured layer thickness and a second insulating layer is formed adjacent to the second contact element and comprises a second laterally measured layer thickness, and wherein the first laterally measured layer thickness is different from the second laterally measured layer thickness so that a distance between the first contact element to the second current spreading layer is different from the distance between the second contact element to the second current spreading layer.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the forming the optoelectronic semiconductor chip comprises:
forming the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type on a growth substrate;
forming the second semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type across the first semiconductor layer;
forming the second current spreading layer across the second semiconductor layer;
forming a plurality of electrical contact elements; and
forming the first current spreading layer across the second current spreading layer to form a layer stack; and
wherein the method further comprises:
subsequently placing the layer stack on a carrier; and
subsequently removing the growth substrate.

3. An electric device comprising an optoelectronic device comprising an optoelectronic semiconductor chip configured to emit electromagnetic radiation, wherein the optoelectronic semiconductor chip comprises:
a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type;
a second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type;
a first current spreading layer and a second current spreading layer; and
a plurality of electrical contact elements, wherein the first semiconductor layer is arranged over the second semiconductor layer,
wherein electromagnetic radiation emitted by the optoelectronic semiconductor chip is output via a first main surface of the first semiconductor layer,
wherein the first current spreading layer is arranged on a side of the second semiconductor layer facing away from the first semiconductor layer,
wherein the plurality of electrical contact elements is configured to electrically connect the first semiconductor layer to the current spreading layer,
wherein the plurality of electrical contact elements comprises a first electrical contact element and a second electrical contact element,
wherein the second current spreading layer is electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer,
wherein the electrical contact elements comprise a first electrical contact element and a second electrical contact element,
wherein the first electrical contact element is different from the second electrical contact element,
wherein the second current spreading layer is arranged between the first current spreading layer and the second semiconductor layer,
wherein an insulating layer insulates the first electrical contact element and the second electrical contact element from the second current spreading layer,
wherein a first insulating layer is adjacent to the first contact element and comprises a first laterally measured layer thickness and a second insulating layer is adjacent to the second contact element and comprises a second laterally measured layer thickness,
wherein the first laterally measured layer thickness is different from the second laterally measured layer thickness so that a distance between the first contact element to the second current spreading layer is different from the distance between the second contact element to the second current spreading layer.

4. The electric device according to claim 3 , wherein the electric device is selected from the group comprising vehicle headlights, projectors, illumination devices, and combinations thereof.

5. An optoelectronic device comprising:
an optoelectronic semiconductor chip configured to emit electromagnetic radiation; wherein the optoelectronic semiconductor chip comprises:
a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type;
a second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type;
a first current spreading layer and a second current spreading layer; and
a plurality of electrical contact elements;
wherein the first semiconductor layer is arranged over the second semiconductor layer;
wherein electromagnetic radiation emitted by the optoelectronic semiconductor chip is output via a first main surface of the first semiconductor layer;
wherein the first current spreading layer is arranged on a side of the second semiconductor layer facing away from the first semiconductor layer;
wherein the plurality of electrical contact elements is configured to electrically connect the first semiconductor layer to the first current spreading layer;
wherein the second current spreading layer is electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer; and
wherein the electrical contact elements comprise a first electrical contact element and a second electrical contact element; wherein the first electrical contact element is different from the second electrical contact element;
wherein the second current spreading layer is arranged between the first current spreading layer and the second semiconductor layer, wherein an insulating layer insulates the first electrical contact element and the second electrical contact element from the second current spreading layer; and
wherein a first insulating layer is adjacent to the first contact element and comprises a first laterally measured layer thickness and a second insulating layer is adjacent to the second contact element and comprises a second laterally measured layer thickness, and wherein the first laterally measured layer thickness is different from the second laterally measured layer thickness so that a distance between the first contact element to the second current spreading layer is different from the distance between the second contact element to the second current spreading layer.

6. The optoelectronic device according to claim 4 , wherein the optoelectronic semiconductor chip comprises a plurality of active zones arranged in an area between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer and between the electrical contact elements, respectively;
wherein the first electrical contact element

Assignees

• Osram Oled Gmbh

Inventors

• Enzmann Roland Heinrich
• Mueller Christian
• Barthel Stefan
• Eichinger Vanessa
• Nenstiel Marc Christian
• Zini Lorenzo

Classifications

• H10W90/00

  Package configurations · CPC title

• H10H20/0364

  of interconnections · CPC title

• H10H20/032

  of electrodes · CPC title

• H10H20/8582

  characterised by their shape · CPC title

• H10H20/8312

  extending at least partially through the bodies · CPC title