Abstract: A composite semiconductor device is formed of a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of device-forming areas in which semiconductor elements are formed and dicing areas defined between the device-forming areas, and is formed by dicing the semiconductor wafer at the dicing areas. The composite semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of wiring layers layered on the semiconductor substrate. The wiring layers include at least conductive films. Connecting portions are formed to connect the wiring layers with each other in a layering direction of the wiring layers. Each of the connecting portions is disposed on the device-forming area side with respect to a dicing position defined in the dicing area.

Abstract: An LED array includes a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of first LED portions formed integrally on a surface of the semiconductor substrate. The first LED portions emit light of a predetermined color. The LED array includes a plurality of second LED portions fixed to the semiconductor substrate and are disposed corresponding to the first LED portions. The second LED portions emit light whose color is different from the first LED portions. The second LED portions are so disposed that active layers of the second LED portions are substantially at the same height as active layers of the first LED portions.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a light-emitting semiconductor device has light-emitting elements separated by isolation trenches, preferably on two sides of each light-emitting element. The device may be fabricated by forming a single band-shaped diffusion region, then forming trenches that divide the diffusion region into multiple regions, or by forming individual diffusion regions and then forming trenches between them. The trenches prevent overlap between adjacent light-emitting elements, regardless of their junction depth, enabling a high-density array to be fabricated while maintaining adequate junction depth.

Abstract: A composite semiconductor device is formed of a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of device-forming areas in which semiconductor elements are formed and dicing areas defined between the device-forming areas, and is formed by dicing the semiconductor wafer at the dicing areas. The composite semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of wiring layers layered on the semiconductor substrate. The wiring layers include at least conductive films. Connecting portions are formed to connect the wiring layers with each other in a layering direction of the wiring layers. Each of the connecting portions is disposed on the device-forming area side with respect to a dicing position defined in the dicing area.

Abstract: An LED array includes a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of first LED portions formed integrally on a surface of the semiconductor substrate. The first LED portions emit light of a predetermined color. The LED array includes a plurality of second LED portions fixed to the semiconductor substrate and are disposed corresponding to the first LED portions. The second LED portions emit light whose color is different from the first LED portions The second LED portions are so disposed that active layers of the second LED portions are substantially at the same height as active layers of the first LED portions.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a light-emitting semiconductor device has light-emitting elements separated by isolation trenches, preferably on two sides of each light-emitting element. The device may be fabricated by forming a single band-shaped diffusion region, then forming trenches that divide the diffusion region into multiple regions, or by forming individual diffusion regions and then forming trenches between them. The trenches prevent overlap between adjacent light-emitting elements, regardless of their junction depth, enabling a high-density array to be fabricated while maintaining adequate junction depth.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a light-emitting semiconductor device has light-emitting elements separated by isolation trenches, preferably on two sides of each light-emitting element. The device may be fabricated by forming a single band-shaped diffusion region, then forming trenches that divide the diffusion region into multiple regions, or by forming individual diffusion regions and then forming trenches between them. The trenches prevent overlap between adjacent light-emitting elements, regardless of their junction depth, enabling a high-density array to be fabricated while maintaining adequate junction depth.

Abstract: A light-emitting-element array has a semiconductor layer formed on a current-blocking layer. Light-emitting elements are formed in the semiconductor layer by diffusion of an impurity of a different conductive type. An isolation trench divides the semiconductor layer into a first region and a remaining region, and divides the array of light-emitting elements into segments disposed alternately in these two regions, each segment preferably including one or two light-emitting elements. A first shared interconnecting pad is electrically coupled to the light-emitting elements in the first region by electrical paths not crossing the isolation trench. A second shared interconnecting pad is electrically coupled to light-emitting elements in the remaining semiconductor region by electrical paths crossing the isolation trench. The array can then be driven by a number of separate interconnecting pads equal to half the number of the light-emitting elements.

Abstract: An array of semiconductor circuit elements such as light-emitting elements includes a semiconductor layer partially covered by a dielectric film. A first interconnecting pad such as a wire-bonding pad is electrically coupled by conductive paths passing through the semiconductor layer to electrodes of a first group of semiconductor circuit elements formed in the semiconductor layer. A second interconnecting pad such as a wire-bonding pad, formed on the dielectric film, is electrically coupled to electrodes of a second group of semiconductor circuit elements formed in the semiconductor layer by conductive paths insulated from the semiconductor layer by the dielectric film. The second conductive paths cross the first conductive paths at points at which the first conductive paths pass through the semiconductor layer, so that only a single layer of metal interconnecting lines is needed.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a substantially linear array of semiconductor blocks of one conductive type, each includes a diffusion region of the opposite conductive type and a electrode. The array is paralleled by an array of electrode pads, each connected to two semiconductor blocks, being connected to the diffusion region in one of the two semiconductor blocks and to the electrode in the other one of the two semiconductor blocks. The electrode pad can thus activate both semiconductor blocks, activating one semiconductor block when placed at one potential, and activating the other semiconductor block when placed at another potential. Efficient driving with a comparatively small number of electrode pads thus becomes possible.

Abstract: A light emitting semiconductor device comprises an upper cladding layer (106) consisting of a first upper cladding layer (106a) provided on an active layer (105) and a second upper cladding layer (106b) provided on the first upper cladding layer (106a) to increase the light emitting efficiency and reduce the defective ratio in formation of a patterned layer. The energy band gap (Eg(106a)) of the first upper cladding layer (106a) is larger than the energy band gap (Eg(106b)) of the second upper cladding layer (106b), which is larger than the energy band gap (Eg(105)) of the active layer (105). One of a patterned layer, an dielectric interlayer (109) has an etched region at a predetermined area thereof so that at least a part of the upper cladding layer (106) or a second conductive type semiconductor region (108) is exposed.

Abstract: A light-emitting array can be driven by a matrix-type driving operation. When the packaging density of light-emitting elements is to be increased, the width of the element-separating region should be made narrower. The element-separating region extends over a considerable distance and therefore is apt to be adversely affected by particles. This tends to prevent formation of a good element-separating region, lowering manufacturing yield. An n-side electrode is arranged close to a predetermined number of LEDs. An element-separating region is formed to surround the LEDs and the n-side electrode, thereby defining a plurality of n-type semiconductor blocks. The element-separating region has a first portion that extends in a direction parallel to the line of the LEDs aligned and a second portion that extend between adjacent blocks. The first portion is wider than the second portion.

Abstract: An array of semiconductor circuit elements such as light-emitting elements includes a semiconductor layer partially covered by a dielectric film. A first interconnecting pad such as a wire-bonding pad is electrically coupled by conductive paths passing through the semiconductor layer to electrodes of a first group of semiconductor circuit elements formed in the semiconductor layer. A second interconnecting pad such as a wire-bonding pad, formed on the dielectric film, is electrically coupled to electrodes of a second group of semiconductor circuit elements formed in the semiconductor layer by conductive paths insulated from the semiconductor layer by the dielectric film. The second conductive paths cross the first conductive paths at points at which the first conductive paths pass through the semiconductor layer, so that only a single layer of metal interconnecting lines is needed.

Abstract: A light-emitting-element array has a semiconductor layer formed on a current-blocking layer. Light-emitting elements are formed in the semiconductor layer by diffusion of an impurity of a different conductive type. An isolation trench divides the semiconductor layer into a first region and a remaining region, and divides the array of light-emitting elements into segments disposed alternately in these two regions, each segment preferably including one or two light-emitting elements. A first shared interconnecting pad is electrically coupled to the light-emitting elements in the first region by electrical paths not crossing the isolation trench. A second shared interconnecting pad is electrically coupled to light-emitting elements in the remaining semiconductor region by electrical paths crossing the isolation trench. The array can then be driven by a number of separate interconnecting pads equal to half the number of the light-emitting elements.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a light-emitting semiconductor device has light-emitting elements separated by isolation trenches, preferably on two sides of each light-emitting element. The device may be fabricated by forming a single band-shaped diffusion region, then forming trenches that divide the diffusion region into multiple regions, or by forming individual diffusion regions and then forming trenches between them. The trenches prevent overlap between adjacent light-emitting elements, regardless of their junction depth, enabling a high-density array to be fabricated while maintaining adequate junction depth.

Abstract: An array of light-emitting elements is divided into cells, the cells are divided into electrically isolated blocks, and a multilayer wiring scheme is employed in which each block has two wire-bonding pads. A first wire leads from the first wire-bonding pad to one of the light-emitting elements in the block. A second wire leads from the second wire-bonding pad to an electrode disposed adjacent to the light-emitting elements in the block, preferably leading to a point near the middle of this electrode. The relative positions of the first and second bonding pads are varied so that the first wire can reach light-emitting elements in different positions in different blocks without crossing the second wire in any block.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a substantially linear array of semiconductor blocks of one conductive type, each includes a diffusion region of the opposite conductive type and a electrode. The array is paralleled by an array of electrode pads, each connected to two semiconductor blocks, being connected to the diffusion region in one of the two semiconductor blocks and to the electrode in the other one of the two semiconductor blocks. The electrode pad can thus activate both semiconductor blocks, activating one semiconductor block when placed at one potential, and activating the other semiconductor block when placed at another potential. Efficient driving with a comparatively small number of electrode pads thus becomes possible.

Abstract: A light emitting semiconductor device comprises an upper cladding layer (106) consisting of a first upper cladding layer (106a) provided on an active layer (105) and a second upper cladding layer (106b) provided on the first upper cladding layer (106a) to increase the light emitting efficiency and reduce the defective ratio in formation of a patterned layer. The energy band gap (Eg(106a)) of the first upper cladding layer (106a) is larger than the energy band gap (Eg(106b)) of the second upper cladding layer (106b), which is larger than the energy band gap (Eg(105)) of the active layer (105). One of a patterned layer, an dielectric interlayer (109) has an etched region at a predetermined area thereof so that at least a part of the upper cladding layer (106) or a second conductive type semiconductor region (108) is exposed.

Abstract: An array of light emitting elements, formed as regions of a second conductive type in a semiconductor layer of a first conductive type, includes at least one emission-altering element provided for the purpose of altering the amount of light emitted by an adjacent light-emitting element. The emission-altering element may be a trench, an opaque member, or a non-emitting region of the second conductive type. Light-emitting elements in the interior of the array can be made to emit the same amount of light as the light-emitting elements at the ends of the array by placing one emission-altering element between at least every second pair of mutually adjacent light-emitting elements. If the array is divided into blocks, the emission-altering elements can also provide electrical isolation between the blocks.

Abstract: A light-emitting-diode array is formed on a substrate having an upper layer of a semiconducting material and a lower layer of an insulating or semi-insulating material. The upper layer is divided into blocks by isolation channels that cut completely through the upper layer. The light-emitting diodes, which are formed by selective diffusion of an impurity into the upper layer, are arranged in a single row, with at least two light-emitting diodes in each block of the upper layer. Each block has a block electrode that drives the light-emitting diodes in the block. The row of light-emitting diodes is paralleled by a number of shared lines which cross the isolation channels. Each shared line is coupled to a plurality of light-emitting diodes in different blocks.