# US 12,218,282 B2 · Light-emitting device

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- Number: US 12,218,282 B2
- Document ID: US12218282B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/091,035
- Filed: 2022-12-29
- Published: 2023-05-04
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-13
- Assignees: Epistar Corporation
- Applicants: Epistar Corporation
- Inventors: Aurelien Gauthier-Brun; Chao-Hsing Chen; Chang-Tai Hsaio; Chih-Hao Chen; Chi-Shiang Hsu; Jia-Kuen Wang; Yung-Hsiang Lin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12218282B2

## CPC

- H10H 20/8316: {Multi-layer electrodes comprising at least one discontinuous layer}
- H10H 20/813: having a plurality of light-emitting regions, e.g. multi-junction LEDs or light-emitting devices having photoluminescent regions within the bodies
- H10H 20/818: within the light-emitting regions
- 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 20/84: Coatings, e.g. passivation layers or antireflective coatings
- H10H 20/833: Transparent materials
- H10H 20/835: {Reflective materials}
- H10H 20/841: Reflective coatings, e.g. dielectric Bragg reflectors
- H10H: INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS

## Abstract

A light-emitting device includes a first semiconductor layer; a semiconductor pillar formed on the first semiconductor layer, including a second semiconductor layer and an active layer, wherein the semiconductor pillar comprises an outmost periphery; a first contact layer formed on the first semiconductor layer and including a first contact portion and a first extending portion, wherein the first extending portion continuously surrounds an entirety of the outmost periphery of the semiconductor pillar and the first contact portion; a second contact layer formed on the second semiconductor layer; a first insulating layer including multiple first openings exposing the first contact layer and multiple second openings exposing the second contact layer; a first electrode contact layer connected to the first contact portion through the multiple first openings and covering all of the first contact layer; a second electrode contact layer connected to the second contact layer through the multiple second openings.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A light-emitting device, comprising:
a substrate;
an aluminum nitride (AlN) buffer layer formed on the substrate;
a first semiconductor layer comprising AlxGa(1-x)N formed on the aluminum nitride (AlN) buffer layer, wherein x>0;
a semiconductor pillar formed on the first semiconductor layer, comprising a second semiconductor layer and an active layer, wherein the semiconductor pillar comprises an outmost periphery;
a first contact layer formed on the first semiconductor layer, wherein the first contact layer comprises a first contact portion and a first extending portion, wherein the first extending portion continuously surrounds an entirety of the outmost periphery of the semiconductor pillar and the first contact portion in a top view of the light-emitting device;
a second contact layer formed on the second semiconductor layer of the semiconductor pillar;
a first insulating layer formed on the first contact layer and the second contact layer, wherein the first insulating layer comprises one or multiple first openings exposing the first contact layer and one or multiple second openings exposing the second contact layer;
a first electrode contact layer connected to the first contact portion through the one or multiple first openings of the first insulating layer, wherein the first electrode contact layer covers all of the first contact layer;
a second electrode contact layer connected to the second contact layer through the one or multiple second openings of the first insulating layer;
a second insulating layer formed on the first electrode contact layer and the second electrode contact layer, wherein the second insulating layer comprises one or multiple first openings exposing the first electrode contact layer and one or multiple second openings exposing the second electrode contact layer;
a first electrode formed on the second insulating layer, wherein the first electrode covers the one or multiple first openings of the second insulating layer and is in contact with the first electrode contact layer to electrically connect to the first semiconductor layer by the first contact portion; and
a second electrode formed on the second insulating layer, wherein the second electrode covers the one or multiple second openings of the second insulating layer and is in contact with the second electrode contact layer to electrically connect to the second semiconductor layer by the second contact layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein 0.35<x<0.7.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The light-emitting device according to claim 2, wherein the first contact layer is directly in contact with the first semiconductor layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The light-emitting device according to claim 3, wherein the first contact layer comprises one side comprising a chromium (Cr) layer to be in contact with the first semiconductor layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The light-emitting device according to claim 4, wherein a thickness of the chromium (Cr) layer is greater than 10 angstroms and lower than 400 angstroms.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor layer is formed on a flat surface of the substrate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first contact portion comprises a width larger than a width of the first extending portion.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first contact layer is covered by the first electrode and the second electrode.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the aluminum nitride (AlN) buffer layer comprises a thickness greater than 2500 nm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the second contact layer comprises a metal oxide layer, and a thickness of the metal oxide layer between 0.1 and 20 nm.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the active layer comprises one or more well layers and one or more barrier layers alternatively stacked, wherein the barrier layer comprises AlyGa1-yN and 0.4<y<0.7.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein an UV light comprising a wavelength shorter than 370 nm is emitted from the light-emitting device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The light-emitting device according to claim 12, wherein the first contact layer does not comprise silver (Ag).

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The light-emitting device according to claim 12, wherein the first electrode contact layer and the second electrode contact layer do not include silver (Ag).

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the one or multiple second openings of the first insulating layer is larger than that of the one or multiple first openings of the first insulating layer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a width of the one or multiple second openings of the first insulating layer is smaller than that of the one or multiple first openings of the first insulating layer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the one or multiple first openings of the second insulating layer and an amount of the one or multiple of second openings of the second insulating layer are different.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a width of the one or multiple first openings of the second insulating layer is smaller than that of the one or multiple first openings of the first insulating layer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first contact layer comprises an outmost periphery, and an entirety of the first electrode and an entirety of the second electrode are located within the outmost periphery of the first contact layer in the top view of the light-emitting device.

### Claim 20

A light-emitting device, comprising:
a substrate;
an aluminum nitride (AlN) buffer layer formed on the substrate;
a first semiconductor layer comprising AlxGa(1-x)N formed on the aluminum nitride (AlN) buffer layer, wherein x>0;
a semiconductor pillar formed on the first semiconductor layer, comprising a second semiconductor layer and an active layer, wherein the semiconductor pillar comprises an outmost periphery;
a first contact layer formed on the first semiconductor layer, wherein the first contact layer comprises a first contact portion and a first extending portion, wherein the first extending portion continuously surrounds an entirety of the outmost periphery of the semiconductor pillar and the first contact portion in a top view of the light-emitting device;
a second contact layer formed on the second semiconductor layer of the semiconductor pillar;
a first electrode contact layer connected to the first contact portion, wherein the first electrode contact layer comprises an outmost periphery;
a second electrode contact layer connected to the second contact layer, wherein the second electrode contact layer surrounds an entirety of the outmost periphery of the first electrode contact layer in the top view of the light-emitting device;
an insulating layer formed on the first electrode contact layer and the second electrode contact layer, wherein the insulating layer comprises one or multiple first openings formed on the first electrode contact layer and one or multiple second openings formed on the second electrode contact layer;
a first electrode formed on the insulating layer, wherein the first electrode covers the one or multiple first openings of the insulating layer and is electrically connected to the first electrode contact layer and the first semiconductor layer; and
a second electrode formed on the insulating layer, wherein the second electrode covers the one or multiple second openings of the insulating layer and is electrically connected to the second electrode contact layer and the second semiconductor layer.