Light emitting diode, optical semiconductor device, epoxy resin composition suited for optical semiconductor device, and method for manufacturing the same

A light emitting diode, comprising:

• a package having a metal base consisting of a pair of thin metal sheets that constitute positive and negative electrodes being joined via a resin insulator for electrical isolation from each other and a side wall bonded to the circumference of said metal base on one side thereof thereby forming a hollow housing,
• an LED chip mounted in said hollow housing and,
• a light transmitting resin that fills the hollow housing so as to seal the LED chip,
• wherein said light transmitting resin is formed continuously from said hollow housing over the top of said side wall and the top surface of said light transmitting resin is flat and substantially parallel to said metal base and the side face on the circumference of the light transmitting resin is substantially flush with the circumferential side face of the package.

A method for producing a light emitting diode comprising a package having a metal base consisting of a pair of thin metal sheets that constitute positive and negative electrodes being joined via a resin insulator for electrical isolation from each other and a side wall bonded to the circumference of said metal base on one side thereof thereby forming a hollow housing, an LED chip mounted in said hollow housing and a light transmitting resin that fills the hollow housing so as to seal the LED chip,

• wherein said light transmitting resin is formed continuously from said hollow housing over the top of said side wall and the top surface of said light transmitting resin is flat and substantially parallel to said metal base and the side face on the circumference of the light transmitting resin is substantially flush with the circumferential side face of the package, the method comprising:
• a first step of making a package assembly consisting of a plurality of packages by bonding an insulating substrate having a plurality of through holes that are grouped corresponding to said hollow housings and a metal base plate having portions separated by the resin insulator in correspondence to the through holes so that the hollow housings are formed by the through holes and the separated portions,
• a second step of mounting the LED chip in said hollow housing of each package formed with the through hole,
• a third step of applying and curing the light transmitting resin on the top surface of the insulating substrate and in the hollow housings by mimeograph printing by using a mask that has an aperture in correspondence to each group, and
• a fourth step of dividing the package assembly having the light transmitting resin applied thereon into individual packages.