GaN Based LED Having Reduced Thickness and Method for Making the Same

A method for making a light emitting device comprising:

• fabricating a light-emitting structure on a substrate, said light emitting structure comprising an active layer sandwiched between a p-side semiconductor layer and an n-side semiconductor layer, said p-side semiconductor layer including a p-type GaN sub-layer, said n-side semiconductor layer including an n-type GaN sub-layer, said active layer emitting light of a predetermined wavelength when electrons and holes from said n-side semiconductor layer and said p-side semiconductor layer, respectively, combine therein, said light emitting structure further comprising a first electrode disposed on a surface of said p-side semiconductor layer, wherein the surface on which the first electrode is disposed is not in contact with said active layer;
• bonding said light-emitting structure to a first carrier comprising a sheet of conducting material having top and bottom principle surfaces such that said first electrode is bonded to said top principle surface of said first carrier, said first carrier comprising a carrier bonding electrode bonded to said bottom principle surface;
• removing said substrate from said light-emitting structure so as to expose a surface of said n-side semiconductor layer, wherein the exposed surface is not adjacent to said active layer;
• thinning said n-side semiconductor layer from said exposed surface of said n-side semiconductor layer to a thickness less than 1.25 μm;
• bonding said thinned n-side semiconductor layer to a second carrier;
• and
• removing said first carrier.