Method for manufacturing gallium nitride-based semiconductor light emitting device

1. A method of manufacturing a gallium nitride-based semiconductor light emitting device, said method comprising the steps of:

sequentially forming, over a substrate, a first conductivity type clad layer, an active layer, and a second conductivity type clad layer;

forming a transparent electrode over the second conductivity type clad layer;

forming a first photoresist film on the transparent electrode such that the transparent electrode is exposed in a predetermined region corresponding to one lateral end portion thereof;

removing respective portions of the transparent electrode, the second conductivity type clad layer, and the active layer corresponding to the predetermined region, thereby partially exposing the first conductivity type clad layer;

removing the first photoresist film; and

forming first and second bonding electrodes on predetermined portions of the transparent electrode and the second conductivity type clad layer, respectively, by the steps of:

forming a passivation layer over a light emitting structure obtained after completion of the formation of the transparent electrode;

forming a second photoresist film on the passivation layer such that the passivation layer is exposed in electrode forming regions where the first and second bonding electrodes are to be formed, respectively;

removing, by etching, portions of the passivation layer in the electrode forming regions;

forming the first and second bonding electrodes in the electrode forming regions from which the passivation layer has been removed, respectively; and

removing the second photoresist film.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in the step of partially exposing the first conductivity type clad layer:

the respective portion of the transparent electrode is removed by wet etching; and

the respective portions of the first conductivity type clad layer and the active layer are removed by dry etching.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said wet etching comprises over-etching the transparent electrode such that the transparent electrode is undercut beneath the photoresist film by a predetermined width.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the predetermined undercut width of the transparent electrode corresponds to at least 3 μm.

5. A method for manufacturing a gallium nitride-based semiconductor light emitting device, comprising the steps of:

forming a light emitting structure including a substrate, a first conductivity type clad layer formed over the substrate, and an active layer, a second conductivity type clad layer and a transparent electrode sequentially formed on the first conductivity type clad layer at a region corresponding to one lateral portion of the first conductivity type clad layer;

forming a passivation layer over the light emitting structure;

forming a photoresist film on the passivation layer such that the passivation layer is exposed at predetermined regions where first and second bonding electrodes are to be formed, respectively;

etching portions of the passivation layer exposed at the predetermined electrode forming regions, thereby removing the exposed passivation layer portions;

forming the first and second bonding electrodes at the predetermined electrode forming regions from which the passivation layer has been removed; and

removing the photoresist film.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the first and second bonding electrodes are made of a material selected from a group consisting of Ti/Al, Cr/Au, Cr/Ni/Au, Cr/Pt/Au, and Ti/Al/Ni/Au.

7. A method for manufacturing a gallium nitride-based semiconductor light emitting device, comprising the steps of:

sequentially forming, over a substrate, a first conductivity type clad layer, an active layer, and a second conductivity type clad layer;

forming a transparent electrode over the second conductivity type clad layer;

forming a photoresist film on the transparent electrode such that the transparent electrode is exposed at a predetermined region corresponding to one lateral end portion thereof;

etching respective portions of the transparent electrode, second conductivity type clad layer, and active layer corresponding to the predetermined region, thereby partially exposing the first conductivity type clad layer;

forming a passivation layer over a light emitting structure obtained after completion of the etching step adapted to partially expose the first conductivity type clad layer;

forming a photoresist film on the passivation layer such that the passivation layer is exposed at predetermined regions where first and second bonding electrodes are to be formed, respectively;

etching portions of the passivation layer exposed at the predetermined electrode forming regions, thereby removing the exposed passivation layer portions;

forming the first and second bonding electrodes at the predetermined electrode forming regions from which the passivation layer has been removed; and

removing the photoresist film.