Semiconductor light-emitting device with near-field multi-layer reflector

A semiconductor light-emitting device comprising:

• a semiconductor diode structure including first and second doped semiconductor layers and an active layer between a back surface of the first doped semiconductor layer and a front surface of the second doped semiconductor layer, the active layer being arranged for emitting output light, resulting from electrical current flow through the semiconductor light-emitting device, at a nominal emission vacuum wavelength λ0 to propagate within the semiconductor diode structure, at least a portion of a front surface of the first doped semiconductor layer being arranged as a device exit surface through which at least a portion of the output light, that propagates perpendicularly within the semiconductor diode structure relative to the device exit surface and is incident on the device exit surface within the semiconductor diode structure, exits the semiconductor diode structure as device output light;
• a multi-layer reflector (MLR) structure positioned against a back surface of the second doped semiconductor layer, the MLR structure including two or more layers of dielectric materials of two or more different refractive indices arranged collectively so as to reflect output light incident thereon from within the second doped semiconductor layer, the second doped semiconductor layer being sufficiently thin so that the MLR structure is in near-field proximity to the active layer relative to the vacuum wavelength λ0;
• and
• a plurality of optical scattering elements arranged within one or more layers of the MLR structure so as to scatter at least a portion of output light, that propagates laterally within the semiconductor diode structure relative to the device exit surface, to propagate perpendicularly relative to the device exit surface, wherein no scattering element extends entirely through the MLR structure.