# US 10,312,411 B2 · Light-emitting element, light-emitting element unit, and light-emitting element package

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,312,411 B2
- Document ID: US10312411B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/387,925
- Filed: 2016-12-22
- Published: 2017-04-06
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2010-12-27
- Assignees: Rohm Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Rohm Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Nobuaki Matsui; Hirotaka Obuchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312411B2

## CPC

- H10H 20/821: of the light-emitting regions, e.g. non-planar junctions
- H10H 20/825: containing nitrogen, e.g. GaN
- H10H 20/8312: {extending at least partially through the bodies}
- H10H 20/833: Transparent materials
- H10H 20/835: {Reflective materials}
- H10H 20/84: Coatings, e.g. passivation layers or antireflective coatings
- H10H 20/854: characterised by their material, e.g. epoxy or silicone resins
- H10H 20/857: Interconnections, e.g. lead-frames, bond wires or solder balls
- H10H: INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS

## Abstract

In a light-emitting element (1), a light-emitting layer (4), a second conductivity type semiconductor layer (5), a transparent electrode layer (6), a reflecting electrode layer (7) and an insulating layer (8) are stacked in this order on a first conductivity type semiconductor layer (3), while a first electrode layer (10) and a second electrode layer (12) are stacked on the insulating layer (8) in an isolated state. The light-emitting element (1) includes a plurality of insulating tube layers (9), discretely arranged in plan view, passing through the reflecting electrode layer (7), the transparent electrode layer (6), the second conductivity type semiconductor layer (5) and the light-emitting layer (4) continuously from the insulating layer (8) and reaching the first conductivity type semiconductor layer (3), first contacts (11), continuous from the first electrode layer (10), connected to the first conductivity type semiconductor layer (3) through the insulating layer (8) and the insulating tube layers (9), and second contacts (13), continuous from the second electrode layer (12), passing through the insulating layer (8) to be connected to the reflecting electrode layer (7).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A light-emitting element comprising:
a substrate having rectangular shape;
a first conductivity type semiconductor layer formed on the substrate, including at least GaN;
a light-emitting layer formed on the first conductivity type semiconductor layer;
a second conductivity type semiconductor layer formed on the light-emitting layer;
an insulating layer formed over the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, wherein a first group of first trenches is formed to pass through the insulating layer and a second group of second trenches is formed to pass through the insulating layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer;
a first electrically conducting layer which is electrically connected to the second conductivity type semiconductor layer through the first trenches; and
a second electrically conducting layer which is electrically connected to the first conductivity type semiconductor layer through the second trenches, wherein
the first trenches of the first group are aligned on a line along a first direction which is parallel with a side of the substrate,
the second trenches of the second group are aligned on each of lines extending along the first direction and along a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction, the second group positioned away from the first group in the second direction in a plan view as viewed from a thickness direction of the substrate,
the insulating layer includes an extensional portion which covers an end surface of the light-emitting layer exposed from between the first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer,
the first conductivity type semiconductor layer has a step in an end surface thereof, with a base of the step facing away from the substrate,
a first interval in the first direction between neighboring second trenches in the second group of second trenches is larger than a second interval in the second direction between neighboring second trenches in the second group of second trenches,
the step is filled up by the extensional portion of the insulating layer, and
an outer surface of the extensional portion is flush with the end surface of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer other than the step.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein a part of the insulating layer forms an inner surface of each of the first trenches extending along the thickness direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein a part of the insulating layer forms an inner surface of each of the second trenches extending along the thickness direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the number of the first trenches of the first group is three.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the number of the second trenches aligned on each of the lines is three.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein each of the second trenches has circular shape in the plan view.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the second trenches are uniformly dispersively arranged in the plan view.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the second trenches are so arranged that intervals, each being between a respective one of the second trenches and another of the second trenches closest to the respective one of the second trenches, are constant.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting element according to claim 1, further comprising an electrode layer stacked on the insulating layer and another electrode layer stacked on the insulating layer in a state isolated from the electrode layer, wherein
the second trenches include a first edge-side second trench arranged along an edge of the electrode layer in the plan view.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The light-emitting element according to claim 9, wherein the second trenches include a second edge-side second trench arranged along an edge of the electrode layer opposite to a side of the another electrode layer in the plan view.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The light-emitting element according to claim 6, wherein the second trenches have columnar shapes.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer is made of SiN.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The light-emitting element according to claim 9, wherein the electrode layer includes:
a reflecting electrode layer, in contact with the insulating layer and having the second electrically conducting layer, reflecting light transmitted through the insulating layer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The light-emitting element according to claim 13, wherein the reflecting electrode layer is made of Al.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The light-emitting element according to claim 9, further comprising bonding layers stacked on respective ones of the electrode layer and the another electrode layer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The light-emitting element according to claim 15, wherein the bonding layers are made of AuSn.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The light-emitting element according to claim 15, further comprising barrier layers interposed between the bonding layers and respective ones of the electrode layer and the another electrode layer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

A light-emitting element unit comprising the light-emitting element according to claim 15, wherein the bonding layers have a submount bonded thereon.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

A light-emitting element package comprising the light-emitting element unit according to claim 18, wherein the light-emitting element unit is stored in a resin package.