Solid state lighting devices with dielectric insulation and methods of manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018190862-A1
Application number	US-201815910460-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 2, 2018
Priority date	Aug 9, 2010
Publication date	Jul 5, 2018
Grant date	—

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/We 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;
a second semiconductor material spaced apart from the first semiconductor material;
an active region between the first and second semiconductor materials; and
an indentation extending at least partially between the second semiconductor material and the first semiconductor material;
forming an electrical contact on the second semiconductor material with a conductive material; and electrically insulating the conductive material from at least one of the active region and the first semiconductor material.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the second semiconductor material has a surface facing away from the active region; and
the indentation has sidewalls extending from the surface of the second semiconductor material into the active region; and
electrically insulating the conductive material includes interposing an 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:
the second semiconductor material has a surface facing away from the active region; and
the indentation has sidewalls extending from the surface of the second semiconductor material into the active region; and
electrically insulating the conductive material includes depositing an insulating material in the indentation prior to forming the electrical contact.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the second semiconductor material has a surface facing away from the active region; and
the indentation has sidewalls extending from the surface of the second semiconductor material into the active region; and
electrically insulating the conductive material includes at least partially filling the indentation with an insulating material prior to forming the electrical contact.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the second semiconductor material has a surface facing away from the active region; and
the indentation has sidewalls extending from the surface of the second semiconductor material into the active region; and
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

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

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the second semiconductor material has a surface facing away from the active region; and
the indentation has sidewalls extending from the surface of the second semiconductor material into the active region; and
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 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

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

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the second semiconductor material has a surface facing away from the active region; and
the indentation has sidewalls extending from the surface of the second semiconductor material into the active region; and
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 generally filling the indentation; and

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

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the active region has a surface facing away from the first semiconductor material; and
the indentation has sidewalls extending from the surface of the active region into the first semiconductor material; and
forming a solid state lighting structure includes:
depositing an insulating material on the solid state lighting structure, the insulating material including a first insulating portion on the surface of the active region and a second insulating portion in the indentation; and
removing the first insulating portion of the insulating material from the surface of the active region, the second insulating portion remaining in the indentation; and
subsequently, forming the second semiconductor material on the active region and the second insulating portion of the insulating material.

Assignees

• Micron Technology Inc

Inventors

• Schellhammer Scott D

Classifications

• H01L33/06

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L33/32

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L33/24

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L33/0095

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L33/025 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic