Abstract: A light emitting device includes an active layer configured to provide light emission due to carrier recombination therein, a surface on the active layer, and an electrically conductive contact structure on the surface. The contact structure includes at least one plated contact layer. The contact structure may include a sublayer that conforms to the surface roughness of the underlying surface, and the plated contact layer may be substantially free of the surface roughness of the underlying surface. The surface of the plated contact layer may be substantially planar and/or otherwise configured to reflect the light emission from the active layer. Related fabrication methods are also discussed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for treating a silicon carbide substrate for improved epitaxial deposition thereon and for use as a precursor in the manufacture of devices such as light emitting diodes. The method includes the steps of implanting dopant atoms of a first conductivity type into the first surface of a conductive silicon carbide wafer having the same conductivity type as the implanting ions at one or more predetermined dopant concentrations and implant energies to form a dopant profile, annealing the implanted wafer, and growing an epitaxial layer on the implanted first surface of the wafer.

Abstract: A high efficiency Group III nitride light emitting diode is disclosed. The diode includes a substrate selected from the group consisting of semiconducting and conducting materials, a Group III nitride-based light emitting region on or above the substrate, and, a lenticular surface containing silicon carbide on or above the light emitting region, and extending to said light emitting region.

Abstract: A light emitting device includes an active layer configured to provide light emission due to carrier recombination therein, a surface on the active layer, and an electrically conductive contact structure on the surface. The contact structure includes at least one plated contact layer. The contact structure may include a sublayer that conforms to the surface roughness of the underlying surface, and the plated contact layer may be substantially free of the surface roughness of the underlying surface. The surface of the plated contact layer may be substantially planar and/or otherwise configured to reflect the light emission from the active layer. Related fabrication methods are also discussed.

Abstract: A light emitting diode is disclosed that includes a conductive substrate, a bonding metal on the conductive substrate and a barrier metal layer on the bonding metal. A mirror layer is encapsulated by the barrier metal layer and is isolated from the bonding metal by the barrier layer. A p-type gallium nitride epitaxial layer is on the encapsulated mirror, an indium gallium nitride active layer is on the p-type layer, and an n-type gallium nitride layer is on the indium gallium nitride layer, and a bond pad is made to the n-type gallium nitride layer.

Abstract: A high efficiency Group III nitride light emitting diode is disclosed. The diode includes a substrate selected from the group consisting of semiconducting and conducting materials, a Group III nitride-based light emitting region on or above the substrate, and, a lenticular surface containing silicon carbide on or above the light emitting region.

Abstract: A light emitting diode is disclosed having a vertical orientation with an ohmic contact on portions of a top surface of the diode and a mirror layer adjacent the light emitting region of the diode. The diode includes an opening in the mirror layer beneath the geometric projection of the top ohmic contact through the diode that defines a non-contact area between the mirror layer and the light emitting region of the diode to encourage current flow to take place other than at the non-contact area to in turn decrease the number of light emitting recombinations beneath the ohmic contact and increase the number of light emitting recombinations in the more transparent portions of the diode.

Abstract: An LED is disclosed that includes a conductive submount, a bond pad having a total volume less than 3×10?5 mm3 conductively joined to the submount, a first ohmic contact on the bond pad opposite from the submount, an epitaxial region comprising at least a p-type layer and an n-type layer on the first ohmic contact, and an electrode to the epitaxial region opposite from the first ohmic contact.

Abstract: A high efficiency Group III nitride light emitting diode is disclosed. The diode includes a substrate selected from the group consisting of semiconducting and conducting materials, a Group III nitride-based light emitting region on or above the substrate, and, a lenticular surface containing silicon carbide on or above the light emitting region, and extending to said light emitting region.

Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting diode includes a semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial layer of n-type Group III nitride on the substrate, a p-type epitaxial layer of Group III nitride on the n-type epitaxial layer and forming a p-n junction with the n-type layer, and a resistive gallium nitride region on the n-type epitaxial layer and adjacent the p-type epitaxial layer for electrically isolating portions of the p-n junction. A metal contact layer is formed on the p-type epitaxial layer. Some embodiments include a semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial layer of n-type Group III nitride on the substrate, a p-type epitaxial layer of Group III nitride on the n-type epitaxial layer and forming a p-n junction with the n-type layer, wherein portions of the epitaxial region are patterned into a mesa and wherein the sidewalls of the mesa comprise a resistive Group III nitride region for electrically isolating portions of the p-n junction.

Abstract: A silicon carbide structure is disclosed that is suitable for use as a substrate in the manufacture of electronic devices such as light emitting diodes. The structure includes a silicon carbide wafer having a first and second surface and having a predetermined conductivity type and an initial carrier concentration; a region of implanted dopant atoms extending from the first surface into the silicon carbide wafer to a predetermined depth, with the region having a higher carrier concentration than the initial carrier concentration in the remainder of the wafer; and an epitaxial layer on the first surface of the silicon carbide wafer.

Abstract: An LED is disclosed that includes a conductive submount, a bond pad having a total volume less than 3×10?5 mm3 conductively joined to the submount, a first ohmic contact on the bond pad opposite from the submount, an epitaxial region comprising at least a p-type layer and an n-type layer on the first ohmic contact, and an electrode to the epitaxial region opposite from the first ohmic contact.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for fabricating an LED The method includes providing an LED chip having an epitaxial region comprising at least a p-type layer and an n-type layer, an ohmic contact formed on at least one of the p-type layer or the n-type layer, and a bond pad formed on the ohmic contact. The bond pad has a total volume less than about 3×10?5 mm3. The LED chip is bonded to a submount via thermocompression or thermosonic bonding.

Abstract: A light emitting diode is disclosed that includes a conductive substrate, a bonding metal on the conductive substrate and a barrier metal layer on the bonding metal. A mirror layer is encapsulated by the barrier metal layer and is isolated from the bonding metal by the barrier layer. A p-type gallium nitride epitaxial layer is on the encapsulated mirror, an indium gallium nitride active layer is on the p-type layer, and an n-type gallium nitride layer is on the indium gallium nitride layer, and a bond pad is made to the n-type gallium nitride layer.

Abstract: A light emitting diode is disclosed having a vertical orientation with an ohmic contact on portions of a top surface of the diode and a mirror layer adjacent the light emitting region of the diode. The diode includes an opening in the mirror layer beneath the geometric projection of the top ohmic contact through the diode that defines a non-contact area between the mirror layer and the light emitting region of the diode to encourage current flow to take place other than at the non-contact area to in turn decrease the number of light emitting recombinations beneath the ohmic contact and increase the number of light emitting recombinations in the more transparent portions of the diode.

Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting diode includes a semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial layer of n-type Group III nitride on the substrate, a p-type epitaxial layer of Group III nitride on the n-type epitaxial layer and forming a p-n junction with the n-type layer, and a resistive gallium nitride region on the n-type epitaxial layer and adjacent the p-type epitaxial layer for electrically isolating portions of the p-n junction. A metal contact layer is formed on the p-type epitaxial layer. Some embodiments include a semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial layer of n-type Group III nitride on the substrate, a p-type epitaxial layer of Group III nitride on the n-type epitaxial layer and forming a p-n junction with the n-type layer, wherein portions of the epitaxial region are patterned into a mesa and wherein the sidewalls of the mesa comprise a resistive Group III nitride region for electrically isolating portions of the p-n junction.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for fabricating an LED The method includes providing an LED chip having an epitaxial region comprising at least a p-type layer and an n-type layer, an ohmic contact formed on at least one of the p-type layer or the n-type layer, and a bond pad formed on the ohmic contact. The bond pad has a total volume less than about 3×10?5 mm3. The LED chip is bonded to a submount via thermocompression or thermosonic bonding.

Abstract: A physically robust light emitting diode is disclosed that offers high-reliability in standard packaging and that will withstand high temperature and high humidity conditions. The diode comprises a Group III nitride heterojunction diode with a p-type Group III nitride contact layer, an ohmic contact to the p-type contact layer, and a sputter-deposited silicon nitride composition passivation layer on the ohmic contact. The contact layer, the ohmic contact and the passivation layer are made of materials that transmit light generated in the active heterojunction.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for attaching a bonding pad to the ohmic contact of a diode while reducing the complexity of the photolithography steps. The method includes the steps of forming a blanket passivation layer over the epitaxial layers and ohmic contacts of a diode, depositing a photoresist layer over the blanket passivation layer, opening a via through the photoresist above the ohmic contacts and on the blanket passivation layer, removing the portion of the blanket passivation layer defined by the via to expose the surface of the ohmic contact, depositing a metal layer on the remaining photoresist, and on the exposed portion of the ohmic contact defined by the via, and removing the remaining photoresist to thereby concurrently remove any metal on the photoresist and to thereby establish a metal bond pad on the ohmic contact in the via.