Package for a light emitting element with integrated electrostatic discharge protection

1. A package comprising:

a substrate including a recess;

a light emitting element mounted to the substrate within the recess, wherein a surface of the substrate forms an exterior surface of the package and wherein an electrically conductive feed-through metal extends from the recess through the substrate to an exterior of the package;

electrostatic discharge protection circuitry in the substrate, wherein the electrostatic discharge protection circuitry is electrically connected to the light emitting element;

a lid attached to the substrate to define a region in which the light emitting element is housed, wherein at least part of the lid is transparent to a wavelength of light that the light emitting element is adapted to emit; and

a metal ring circumscribing the recess, wherein the metal ring is fused to the lid to hermetically seal the lid to the substrate, wherein the light emitting element is hermetically sealed within the package.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein the transparent lid comprises glass.

3. The package of claim 1 wherein the light emitting element comprises a light emitting diode.

4. The package of claim 1 wherein sidewalls of the recess include a reflective coating.

5. The package of claim 4 wherein the reflective coating substantially covers all surfaces of the sidewalls.

6. The package of claim 4 wherein the reflective coating comprises metal.

7. The package of claim 1 wherein the feed-through metal is electrically connected to the light emitting element.

8. The package of claim 1 including metal pads on the exterior surface of the substrate and coupled electrically to the feed-through metal.

9. The package of claim 1 wherein the electrostatic discharge protection circuitry comprises a plurality of Zener diodes.

10. The package of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor material.

11. The package of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises silicon.

12. The package of claim 1 including bond pads on the substrate, wherein the light emitting element is mounted to the substrate through bond pads.

13. The package of claim 1 wherein the electrostatic discharge protection circuitry is electrically connected in parallel with the light emitting element through bond pads.

14. The package of claim 1 wherein the light emitting element is supported on a thin membrane.

15. A package comprising:

a substrate including a recess, wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor material, wherein an electrically conductive feed-through metal extends from the recess through the substrate to an exterior of the package, and wherein sidewalls of the recess include a reflective coating;

a light emitting element mounted to the substrate within the recess, wherein a surface of the substrate forms an exterior surface of the package;

a lid attached to the substrate to define a hermetically sealed region in which the light emitting element is housed, wherein at least part of the lid is transparent to a wavelength of light that the light emitting element is adapted to emit;

electrostatic discharge protection circuitry in the substrate wherein the electrostatic discharge protection circuitry is electrically connected to the light emitting element;

a metal ring circumscribing the recess, wherein the metal ring is fused to the lid to hermetically seal the lid to the substrate, wherein the light emitting element is hermetically sealed within the package.

16. The package of claim 15 wherein the electrostatic discharge protection circuitry comprises a plurality of Zener diodes.

17. The package of claim 15 wherein the substrate comprises silicon.