This invention provides a light-emitting chip device with high thermal conductivity, which includes an epitaxial chip, an electrode disposed on a top surface of the epitaxial chip and a U-shaped electrode base cooperating with the electrode to provide electric energy to the epitaxial chip for generating light by electric-optical effect. The epitaxial chip includes a substrate and an epitaxial-layer structure with a roughening top surface and a roughening bottom surface for improving light extracted out of the epitaxial chip. A thermal conductive transparent reflective layer is formed between the substrate and the epitaxial-layer structure. The electrode base surrounds the substrate, the transparent reflective layer and a first cladding layer of the epitaxial-layer structure to facilitate the dissipation of the internal waste heat generated when the epitaxial chip emitting light. A method for manufacturing the chip device of the present invention is provided.
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1. A light-emitting chip device with high thermal conductivity, comprising:
an epitaxial chip including a substrate and an epitaxial-layer structure capable of generating light by electro-optical effect on said substrate, said epitaxial-layer structure including a first cladding layer of first conductivity type having a bottom surface with a roughness not less than 100 nm rms corresponding to said substrate, a second cladding layer of second conductivity type opposite to said first conductivity type having a top surface with a roughness not less than 100 nm rms, and an active layer sandwiched between said first cladding layer and said second cladding layer;
an electrode disposed on and in ohmic contact with said top surface of said second cladding layer; and
a U-shaped electrode base under said epitaxial chip and surrounding said substrate and said first cladding layer, such that said U-shaped electrode base covers and connects to at least a portion of a bottom surface of the substrate, said U-shaped electrode being in ohmic contact with said first cladding layer and in contact with said electrode to provide electric energy to said epitaxial chip.
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9. The light-emitting chip device with high thermal conductivity as claimed in
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11. The light-emitting chip device with high thermal conductivity as claimed in
12. The light-emitting chip device with high thermal conductivity as claimed in
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This application claims priority, under 35 USC §119, from Taiwan Patent Application No. 096135297 096135296 filed on Sep. 21, 2007, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light-emitting chip device; and more particularly to a light-emitting chip device with high light extraction efficiency and high thermal conductivity.
2. Description of the Related Art
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As an example, the epitaxial-layer structure 12 is formed of GaN-based material and has an N-type first cladding layer 121, an active layer 122 formed on the first cladding layer 121 and a P-type second cladding layer 123. The first cladding layer 121 and the second cladding layer 123 are opposite to each other and form carrier injectors relative to the active layer 122. As such, when electric power is provided to the epitaxial-layer structure 12, electrons and holes would be recombined together and then release energy in a form of light emission.
The N-type electrode 131 and P-type electrode 132, for example, are formed of Au, Ni, Pt, Ag, Al, etc. and/or their alloy. The N-type electrode 131 is disposed on and forms ohmic contact with the first cladding layer 121 of the epitaxial-layer structure 12. The P-type electrode 132 is disposed on and forms ohmic contact with the second cladding layer 123 such that the N-type electrode 131 and P-type electrode 132 provide electric power supply to the epitaxial-layer structure 12.
When electric energy is supplied to the N-type electrode 131 and P-type electrode 132, current spreads and flows through the epitaxial-layer structure 12, and electrons and holes are injected into the active layer 122, recombining with each other and releasing energy in the form of light emission.
The refractive index of the GaN-based material is about 2.6, and the refractive index of its surrounding, which generally is air, is 1, or the surrounding is a transparent encapsulating material, used for packaging and having a refractive index between 1 and 2.6. The top surface 124 of the second cladding layer 123 of the epitaxial-layer structure 12 of the light-emitting chip 1 is a flat surface. Partial light generated from the epitaxial-layer structure 12, due to their propagation direction, would follow Snell's law and could not escape the epitaxial-layer structure 12 and enter the surrounding. As a consequence, the light extraction of the light-emitting chip 1 is not good.
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Nevertheless, the light generated from the epitaxial-layer structure 12′ does not entirely propagate toward the top surface 124′. The light propagating toward the substrate 11 faces similar situation as that at the top and can not escape the epitaxial layer 12′ and enter the surrounding. Thus, the light extraction is still low.
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Nevertheless, the N-type electrode 131 is disposed on the first cladding layer 121 and the P-type electrode 132 is disposed on the second cladding layer 123, both of them block some light emitted from the front side of the light-emitting chip 1, and resulting in the reduction of the light-emitting area. The brightness of the light-emitting chip 1 is lowered.
Besides, the internal waste heat converted from the light confined within the epitaxial structure 12′ is dissipated through the substrate 11′, and the dissipation efficiency is not good. The lifetime of the light-emitting chip 1 is adversely affected.
One aspect of the present invention is to provide a light-emitting chip device with high light extraction efficiency and high thermal conductivity.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a light-emitting chip device with high light extraction efficiency and high thermal conductivity.
The light-emitting chip device with high light extraction efficiency and high thermal conductivity of the present invention includes an epitaxial chip, an electrode and a U-shaped electrode base.
The light-emitting chip includes a substrate, an epitaxial-layer structure capable of generating light by electro-optical effect on the substrate and a transparent refractive layer sandwiched between the substrate and the epitaxial-layer structure. The epitaxial-layer structure includes an N-type first cladding layer connecting to the transparent refractive layer and having a roughness not less than 100 nm root means squared (rms), a P-type second cladding layer having a roughness not less than 100 nm rms and an active layer sandwiched between the first cladding layer and second cladding layer. Root mean square means the average between the height deviations and the mean line/surface, taken over the evaluation length/area.
The electrode is disposed on and in ohmic contact with a top surface of the epitaxial-layer structure.
The U-shaped electrode base surrounds the substrate, the transparent refractive layer and the first cladding layer, and being in ohmic contact with the first cladding layer. The electrode base is in contact with the electrode to provide electric energy to the epitaxial chip for generating light.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a light-emitting chip device with high thermal conductivity, which includes steps of forming an epitaxial-layer structure on a substrate, performing a first roughening step, forming an electrode on the top surface of the epitaxial-layer structure, forming a provisional substrate on the top surface of the epitaxial-layer structure, removing the substrate under the epitaxial-layer structure, performing a second roughening step, attaching a substrate onto a bottom surface of the epitaxial-layer structure, removing the provisional substrate to form an epitaxial chip, attaching the epitaxial chip upside-down onto a supporting substrate, forming an electrode base surrounding the epitaxial chip opposite to the supporting substrate and removing the supporting substrate.
The light-emitting chip structure is formed on an epitaxial substrate with an epitaxial growth method. The epitaxial-layer structure includes an N-type first cladding layer, a P-type second cladding layer and an active layer sandwiched between the first cladding layer and second cladding layer.
The first roughening step is to roughen a top surface of the epitaxial-layer structure far away from the epitaxial substrate.
The electrode is formed on and in ohmic contact with the top surface of the epitaxial-layer structure.
The provisional substrate is separably attached onto the top surface of the epitaxial-layer structure.
The epitaxial substrate is separated from the epitaxial-layer structure to expose the bottom surface of the epitaxial-layer structure.
The second roughening step is to roughen the bottom surface of the epitaxial-layer structure.
The step of attaching a substrate onto a bottom surface of the epitaxial-layer structure is attaching the substrate onto the bottom surface of the epitaxial-layer structure by thermal conductive glue with a predetermined refractive index and transparent to the light generated from the epitaxial-layer structure.
The provisional substrate is removed to form an epitaxial chip.
The outer surface of the epitaxial chip is coated with an isolation glue, and exposing sidewalls of the first cladding layer. The epitaxial chip is attached upside-down onto the supporting substrate by the isolation glue.
The electrode base is formed by forming an electrically conductive and thermally conductive seed layer on exposed surfaces of the epitaxial chip and then forming an electrically conductive and thermally conductive electrode base layer from the seed layer to form the electrode base in ohmic contact with the first cladding layer.
The supporting substrate is removed to form the light-emitting chip device with high thermal conductivity of the present invention.
The present invention provides a manufacturing process to produce a light-emitting chip device with an epitaxial-layer structure having a roughened top surface and roughened bottom surface to facilitate the extraction of light from the chip device, and enhancing brightness of the chip device. The internal waste heat of the chip device can be directly dissipated through the electrode base such that the lifetime of the chip device is improved.
The light-emitting chip with high thermal conductivity provided by the present invention will be described and explained in detail through the following embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that like elements in the following description are designated in the same numerals.
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The epitaxial chip 2 includes a substrate 21, an epitaxial-layer structure 22 for generating light by electro-optical effect and a transparent refractive layer 23 joining the epitaxial-layer structure 22 and the substrate 21. The transparent refractive layer 23 is also thermally conductive.
The substrate 21 includes a bottom substrate 211 and a reflective mirror layer 212. The substrate 21 connects to the transparent refractive layer 23. The bottom substrate 211 is used for supporting the epitaxial-layer structure 22 and includes silicon, high thermally conductive ceramic or high thermally conductive metallic material. The reflective mirror layer 212 can be formed of Al, Ag, Au, Pt, Pd, Rb or a combination thereof, and also can be formed of high-refractive-index dielectric layers and low-refractive-index dielectric layers alternately disposed to each other. The reflective mirror layer 212 is used for reflecting the light propagating toward the substrate 21.
The epitaxial-layer structure 22 is formed of GaN-based semiconductor materials epitaxially grown on an epitaxial substrate 21, and then joining to the substrate 21 by the transparent refractive layer 23 (the detailed process will be described in the following). The epitaxial-layer structure 22 includes an N-type first cladding layer 221, a P-type second cladding layer 223 and an active layer 222 sandwiched between the first cladding layer 221 and second cladding layer 223. The first cladding layer 221 and second cladding layer 223 constitute quantum barriers relative to the active layer 222 such that the epitaxial-layer structure 22 can generate light by electro-optical effect.
The epitaxial-layer structure 22 has a roughened bottom surface 224 (i.e. the bottom surface of the first cladding layer 221) connecting to the transparent refractive layer 23. The bottom surface 224 of the epitaxial-layer structure 22 is roughened with wet etching. The epitaxial-layer structure 22 also includes a roughened top surface 225 (i.e. the top surface of the second cladding layer 223) with electrical conductivity opposite to the roughening bottom surface 224. The top surface 225 of the epitaxial-layer structure 22 is roughened by inductively-coupled plasma etching, wet etching or epitaxial growth. The epitaxial-layer structure 22 also includes a sidewall 226 (i.e., the sidewalls of the first cladding layer 221, the second cladding layer 223 and the active layer 222) connecting the bottom surface 224 and top surface 225. The sidewall 226 has an electrical conduction portion 227, which is extended upward from the periphery of the bottom surface 224 and has the same electrical conductivity with the bottom surface 224. Namely, the electrical conduction portion 227 is constituted by the sidewall of the first cladding layer 221.
The transparent refractive layer 23 has a refractive index between air and the substrate 21 and a light transmission percentage more than 50% for wavelength longer than 300 nm rms. The transparent refractive layer 23 joins the substrate 21 and the epitaxial-layer structure 22 together and has a thickness not more than 5 μm rms.
The electrode 3 is formed of Ag, Al, Au, Ti, Ni, Cr or their alloy. The electrode 3 is disposed on and in ohmic contact with the roughened top surface 225 of the epitaxial-layer structure 22.
The electrode base 4 surrounds the epitaxial chip 2 partially and includes a seed layer 41 and an electrode base layer 42. The seed layer 41 connects to exposed surfaces of the substrate 21, transparent refractive layer 23 and the electrical conduction portion 227 of the epitaxial-layer structure 22, as well as including an electrode base layer 42 extending from the seed layer 41.
The electrode base 4 is in ohmic contact with the electric conduction portion 227. The seed layer 41 is formed of high-thermally-conductive metallic material and has a reflectivity not less than 50%. The electrode base layer 42 has the same material as the seed layer 41, or has its alloy as the material. The electrode base 4 and electrode 3 cooperate with each other to provide electric energy to the epitaxial chip 2 for generating light.
When the electrode 3 and the electrode base 4 apply electric energy to the epitaxial chip 2, the electrode 3, the top surface 225 of the epitaxial-layer structure 22 (i.e. the top surface of the second cladding layer 223), the second cladding layer 223, the active layer 222, the first cladding layer 221, the sidewall of the first cladding layer 221 (i.e. the electrical conduction portion 227 of the sidewall 226 of the epitaxial-layer structure 22), and the electrode base 4 constitute an electrical conduction path to make the epitaxial-layer structure 22 generating light by electro-optical effect.
The light propagating upward through the roughened top surface 225 of the epitaxial-layer structure 22 would have various incident angles relative to the roughened top surface 225. The confinement of the light propagation governed by Snell's law is destroyed, and the chance of light escaping epitaxial-structure largely increases.
The light propagating downward through the roughening bottom surface 224 of the epitaxial-layer structure 22 (i.e. the bottom surface of the first cladding layer 221) also has various incident angles relative to the roughened bottom surface 224, and facilitating the light entering the transparent refractive layer 23. The transparent refractive layer 23 has a thickness not more than 5 μm rms and a refractive index between air and the substrate 21. The transparent refractive layer 23 forms a medium between the epitaxial-layer structure 22 and the reflective mirror layer 212 of the substrate 21. The light enters the interface of the transparent refractive layer 23 and the reflective mirror layer 212 is reflected back by the reflective mirror layer 212 and passing through the transparent refractive layer 23, the epitaxial-layer structure 22, and then entering the external. In other words, the light entering the transparent refractive layer 23 from the epitaxial-layer structure 22 is easily reflected back because the former has a refractive index lower than the latter. The roughened bottom surface 224 of the epitaxial-layer structure 22 would change the propagation direction of the reflected light, and hence increasing the chance of light escaping the epitaxial chip 2.
Besides, the light passing through the top surface 225 of the epitaxial-layer structure 22 is only blocked by the electrode 3 disposed thereon. The utilization of the emitting light from the epitaxial-layer structure 22 is improved compared to the conventional light-emitting chip device 1 shown in
The U-shaped electrode base 4 is covering and connecting to the bottom surface and sidewall of the substrate 21, the sidewall of the transparent refractive layer 23, and the sidewall of the first cladding layer 221 of the epitaxial-layer structure 22 (i.e. the electrical conduction portion 227). The electrode base 4 has a large contact area with the epitaxial chip 2. The heat generated in the epitaxial chip 2 can be rapidly dissipated out through the electrode base 4. The lifetime of the light-emitting chip device of the present invention is improved. The deterioration of the reflective mirror layer 212 is avoided, and the stability of the light-emitting chip device of the present invention is maintained.
A method for manufacturing the light-emitting chip device will be described in detail in the following.
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Additionally, a transparent electrical conductive layer 223 can be formed between the electrode 3 and the second cladding layer 223 of the epitaxial-layer structure 22 to spread current injected from the electrode 3 more uniformly. The quantum effect of the epitaxial-layer structure 2 is hence improved.
The light-emitting chip device of the present invention employs the roughened top surface 225 and roughened bottom surface 224 of the epitaxial-layer structure 22 to improve the light extraction from the chip device. The transparent refractive layer 23 with the predetermined thickness as an interface between the epitaxial-layer structure 22 and the substrate 21 can more effectively reflect the light propagating toward the substrate 21 back toward the top surface 225 to further improve the light extraction.
Furthermore, the U-shaped electrode base 4 largely increases thermal conductive area of the chip device, and the excess heat of the epitaxial-layer structure 22 can be rapidly dissipated through the electrode base 4. The lifetime of the chip device is improved. The deterioration of the reflective mirror layer 212 is avoided, and the stability of the chip device is maintained.
The electrode base 4 does not block the light emitting from the front side of the chip device. Compared to the conventional light-emitting device as shown in
The examples given above serve as the preferred embodiments of the present invention only. The examples should not be construed as a limitation on the actual applicable scope of the invention, and as such, all modifications and alterations without departing from the spirits of the invention and appended claims, including other embodiments, shall remain within the protected scope and claims of the invention.
Huang, Shao-Hua, Wuu, Dong-Sing, Horng, Ray-Hua, Lin, Chao-Kun, Hsieh, Chuang-Yu
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