Vertical semiconductor light-emitting device and method of manufacturing the same
Provided is a vertical semiconductor light-emitting device and a method of manufacturing the same. The method may include sequentially forming a lower clad layer, an active layer, and an upper clad layer on a substrate to form a semiconductor layer and forming first electrode layers on the upper clad layer. A metal support layer may be formed on each of the first electrode layers and a trench may be formed between the first electrode layers. The substrate may be removed and a second electrode layer may be formed on the lower clad layer.
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1. Field
Example embodiments relate to a semiconductor light-emitting device. Other example embodiments relate to a method of manufacturing a vertical semiconductor light-emitting device by a simpler process in which yield is improved.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, light emitting diodes (LED) may be used to transmit a signal obtained by converting electrical energy into the shape of infra rays, visible rays and/or light using properties of a compound semiconductor. LED may be a type of electroluminescent (EL) devices. LED using a Group III-V compound semiconductor have been used.
Group III nitride-based compound semiconductors may be direct transition type semiconductors. A relatively stable operation may be performed at higher temperatures than in devices using semiconductors other than Group III nitride-based compound semiconductors. The Group III nitride-based compound semiconductors have been used in light-emitting devices (e.g., an LED and/or a laser diode (LD)). Group III nitride-based compound semiconductors may be formed on a substrate formed of sapphire (Al2O3).
The lower electrode layer 16 and the upper electrode layer 15 may be formed on one surface of the substrate 11 and may have difficulty applying a potential when a light-emitting surface may be relatively narrow. Because current applied to the active layer 13 through the lower electrode layer 16 may pass through the lower clad layer 12 disposed below the lower electrode layer 16, the structure may not be desirable. A vertical semiconductor light-emitting device may have improved characteristics compared to the above-described horizontal semiconductor light-emitting device illustrated in
Referring to
Example embodiments relate to a semiconductor light-emitting device. Other example embodiments relate to a method of manufacturing a vertical semiconductor light-emitting device by a simpler process in which yield is improved.
According to example embodiments, a method of manufacturing a vertical semiconductor light-emitting device may include sequentially forming a lower clad layer, an active layer, and an upper clad layer on a substrate to form a semiconductor layer. First electrode layers may be formed on the upper clad layer, a metal support layer may be formed on each of the first electrode layers and a trench may be formed between the first electrode layers. The substrate may be removed and a second electrode layer may be formed on the lower clad layer. The substrate may be a sapphire substrate. The lower clad layer and the upper clad layer may include a nitrification gallium-based material. The active layer may be formed of multi quantum wall (MQW) structure of InGaN/GaN.
The forming of the metal support layer may include forming a seed layer on the upper clad layer and on a surface of each of the first electrode layers. A photoresist (PR) layer may be formed on the seed layer between the first electrode layers. A metal support layer may be formed on the seed layer corresponding to each of the first electrode layers and the PR layer may be removed which may form a trench in a region from which the PR layer is removed. The trench may be formed using a reactive ion etching (RIE) process.
The removing of the substrate and the forming of the second electrode layer may include forming a filling layer including an adhesion material on the trench region and on the surface of each of the metal support layers, attaching one of glass, silicon (Si) or sapphire onto the filling layer to form a bonding layer and removing the substrate. The filling layer may be formed of wax and may be removed using acetone. The substrate may be separated from the lower clad layer by irradiating laser light having a wavelength less than about 370 nm. The second electrode layer may be an n-type conductive material. The metal support layer may be formed using plasma vapor deposition (PVD) and/or chemical vapor deposition (CVD).
According to example embodiments, a vertical semiconductor light-emitting device may include a first electrode layer on a semiconductor layer, a seed layer and a metal support layer on the first electrode layer, a second electrode layer below the semiconductor layer and an insulating support layer that separates the vertical semiconductor light-emitting device from another vertical semiconductor light-emitting device. The semiconductor layer may be formed of a lower clad layer, an active layer and an upper clad layer. The second electrode layer may be made of an n-type conductive material. The first electrode layer may be made of a p-metal. The metal support layer may be made of one of the group including Cu, Cr, Ni, Ag, Au, Mo, Pd, W and/or Al. The seed layer may be used to form the metal support layer and may be made of one of the group including Cr, Ti, Au and/or Ni. The insulating support layer may be an adhesive polymer film (e.g., polycarbonate).
Example embodiments will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Example embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments are shown. Example embodiments may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of example embodiments to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the thicknesses of layers and regions are exaggerated for clarity. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification.
Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. The example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90° or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising,”, “includes” and/or “including”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
A method of manufacturing a vertical semiconductor light-emitting device according to example embodiments will now be described with reference to
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When a metal support layer is formed of Cu, a dicing process of the metal support layer may not need to be performed in order to form a unit device in a subsequent process. Structural stability of a light-emitting device may be sought and a relatively high yield may be obtained. Also, an additional mask may not be needed during a process of forming a trench. There may be no process that induces stress inside the semiconductor light-emitting device and relatively high productivity may be obtained with a relatively simple process.
While example embodiments have been particularly shown and described with reference to example embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A method of manufacturing a vertical semiconductor light-emitting device, the method comprising:
- sequentially forming a lower clad layer, an active layer, and an upper clad layer on a substrate to form a semiconductor layer;
- forming first electrode layers on the upper clad layer;
- forming a metal support layer on each of the first electrode layers and forming a trench between the first electrode layers; and
- removing the substrate and forming a second electrode layer on the lower clad layer.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a sapphire substrate.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the lower clad layer and the upper clad layer include a nitrification gallium-based material.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the active layer is formed of multi quantum wall (MQW) structure of InGaN/GaN.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the metal support layer includes:
- forming a seed layer on the upper clad layer and on a surface of each of the first electrode layers;
- forming a photoresist (PR) layer on the seed layer between the first electrode layers;
- forming a metal support layer on the seed layer corresponding to each of the first electrode layers; and
- removing the PR layer and forming a trench in a region from which the PR layer is removed.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the trench is formed using a reactive ion etching (RIE) process.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the substrate and the forming of the second electrode layer includes:
- forming a filling layer including an adhesion material on the trench region and on the surface of each of the metal support layers;
- attaching one of glass, silicon (Si) or sapphire onto the filling layer to form a bonding layer; and
- removing the substrate.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the filling layer is formed of wax.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the filling layer is removed using acetone.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is separated from the lower clad layer by irradiating laser light having a wavelength less than about 370 nm.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein the substrate is separated from the lower clad layer by irradiating laser light having a wavelength less than about 370 nm.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second electrode layer is an n-type conductive material.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal support layer is formed using plasma vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD).
14. A vertical semiconductor light-emitting device, comprising:
- a first electrode layer on a semiconductor layer;
- a seed layer and a metal support layer on the first electrode layer;
- a second electrode layer below the semiconductor layer; and
- an insulating support layer that separates the vertical semiconductor light-emitting device from another vertical semiconductor light-emitting device.
15. The vertical semiconductor light-emitting device of claim 14, wherein the semiconductor layer includes a lower clad layer, an active layer and an upper clad layer.
16. The vertical semiconductor light-emitting device of claim 14, wherein the second electrode layer is an n-type conductive material.
17. The vertical semiconductor light-emitting device of claim 14, wherein the first electrode layer is made of a p-metal.
18. The vertical semiconductor light-emitting device of claim 14, wherein the metal support layer is made of one of the group including Cu, Cr, Ni, Ag, Au, Mo, Pd, W and Al.
19. The vertical semiconductor light-emitting device of claim 14, wherein the seed layer is used to form the metal support layer and is made of one of the group including Cr, Ti, Au and Ni.
20. The vertical semiconductor light-emitting device of claim 14, wherein the insulating support layer is an adhesive polymer film.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 31, 2006
Publication Date: Mar 6, 2008
Applicant:
Inventors: Hyun-Soo Kim (Hwaseong-si), Kyu-Ho Shin (Seoul), Jae-Hee Cho (Yongin-si)
Application Number: 11/513,183
International Classification: H01L 33/00 (20060101); H01L 21/00 (20060101);