P-contact with more uniform injection and lower optical loss
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips N.V.
InventorJohn Edward Epler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The current distribution across the p-layer (130) of a semiconductor device is modified by purposely inhibiting current flow through the p-layer (130) in regions (310) adjacent to the guardsheet (150), without reducing the optical reflectivity of any part of the device. This current flow may be inhibited by increasing the resistance of the p-layer that is coupled to the p-contact (140) along the edges and in the corners of contact area. In an example embodiment, the high-resistance region (130) is produced by a shallow dose of hydrogen-ion (H+) implant after the p-contact (140) is created. Similarly, a resistive coating may be applied in select regions between the p-contact and the p-layer.
Claims19
A method, comprising:
- creating a light emitting element comprising an active region between an n-layer and a p-layer;
- providing a p-contact to the p-layer, the p-contact being coupled to the p-layer so as to provide a non-uniform current flow from the p-contact to the p-layer;
- providing a p-pad coupled to the p-contact to facilitate coupling to an external source of power;
- and
- providing an n-pad coupled to the n-layer to facilitate coupling to the external source of power, wherein:
- the non-uniform current flow is provided by creating at least one current-inhibiting region of the p-contact;
- and
- the method includes implanting ions in the p-layer to create the at least one current-inhibiting region.
A method, comprising:
- creating a light emitting element comprising an active region between an n-layer and a p-layer;
- providing a p-contact to the p-layer, the p-contact being coupled to the p-layer so as to provide a non-uniform current flow from the p-contact to the p-layer;
- providing a p-pad coupled to the p-contact to facilitate coupling to an external source of power;
- and
- providing an n-pad coupled to the n-layer to facilitate coupling to the external source of power, wherein:
- the non-uniform current flow is provided by creating at least one current-inhibiting region of the p-contact;
- and
- the method including providing a material that improves ohmic contact between the p-contact and p-layer and omitting that material to form the at least one current-inhibiting region.
A light emitting device, comprising:
- an n-layer;
- a p-layer;
- a light emitting layer between the n-layer and the p-layer;
- an n-pad for coupling to the n-layer;
- a p-pad for coupling to the p-layer;
- and
- a p-contact that couples the p-pad to the p-layer to facilitate current injection through the p-layer, wherein:
- the p-contact is configured to inhibit current injection through the p-layer in at least one current-inhibiting region of the p-contact;
- and
- the at least one current-inhibiting region includes an ion-injected region of the p-contact.
A light emitting device, comprising:
- an n-layer;
- a p-layer;
- a light emitting layer between the n-layer and the p-layer;
- an n-pad for coupling to the n-layer;
- a p-pad for coupling to the p-layer;
- a p-contact that couples the p-pad to the p-layer to facilitate current injection through the p-layer, wherein the p-contact is reflective of light emitted by the light emitting layer;
- and
- a substantially transparent resistive coating between the p-contact and the p-layer forming at least one current-inhibiting region between the p-contact and the p-layer.
A light emitting device, comprising:
- an n-layer;
- a p-layer;
- a light emitting layer between the n-layer and the p-layer;
- an n-pad for coupling to the n-layer;
- a p-pad for coupling to the p-layer;
- and
- a p-contact that couples the p-pad to the p-layer to facilitate current injection through the p-layer, wherein:
- the p-contact is configured to inhibit current injection through the p-layer in at least one current-inhibiting region of the p-contact and the p-contact includes a material that improves ohmic contact with the p-layer;
- and
- the at least one current-inhibiting region corresponds to an absence of this material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.