Light emitting devices having current reducing structures and methods of forming light emitting devices having current reducing structures

1. A light emitting device, comprising:

a p-type semiconductor layer, an n-type semiconductor layer, and an active region between the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer;

a non-transparent feature on the p-type semiconductor layer or on the n-type semiconductor layer opposite the p-type semiconductor layer; and

a reduced conductivity region in the p-type semiconductor layer, wherein the edges of the reduced conductivity region are aligned with the edges of the non-transparent feature, the reduced conductivity region extending from a surface of the p-type semiconductor layer opposite the n-type semiconductor layer towards the active region.

2. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the non-transparent region comprises a bond pad, a passivation region, and/or a current spreading finger.

3. The light emitting device of claim 1 , further comprising a substrate including first and second opposing surfaces, wherein the n-type semiconductor is on the first surface of the substrate and wherein the non-transparent feature is on the second surface of the substrate opposite the n-type semiconductor layer.

4. The light emitting device of claim 1 , further comprising a metal stack on the surface of the p-type semiconductor layer.

5. The light emitting device of claim 4 , wherein the metal stack comprises an ohmic layer directly on the p-type semiconductor layer, and a reflective layer on the ohmic layer.

6. The light emitting device of claim 5 , wherein the metal stack comprises a bonding layer on the reflective layer.

7. The light emitting device of claim 5 , further comprising a barrier layer between the reflective layer and the bonding layer.

8. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the reduced conductivity region extends from the surface of the p-type semiconductor layer to the active region.

9. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the reduced conductivity region extends from the surface of the p-type semiconductor layer into the active region.

10. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the reduced conductivity region extends from the surface of the p-type semiconductor layer through the active region.

11. A light emitting device, comprising:

a p-type semiconductor layer, an n-type semiconductor layer, and an active region between the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer;

a non-transparent feature on the p-type semiconductor layer or on the n-type semiconductor layer opposite the p-type semiconductor layer; and

a reduced conductivity region in the p-type semiconductor layer and aligned with the non-transparent feature, the reduced conductivity region extending from a surface of the p-type semiconductor layer opposite the n-type semiconductor layer towards the active region, wherein the reduced conductivity region extends through the p-type semiconductor layer, the active region and into the n-type semiconductor layer.

12. The light emitting device of claim 11 , wherein the non-transparent feature comprises a wire bond pad in contact with the reduced conductivity region, the light emitting device further comprising an ohmic contact on the n-type semiconductor layer adjacent and in electrical contact with the wire bond pad.

13. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the reduced conductivity region extends completely through the n-type semiconductor layer.

14. The light emitting device of claim 11 , wherein the active region comprises a Group III-nitride based active region.

15. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the reduced conductivity region comprises an insulating region.

16. The light emitting device of claim 11 , wherein the reduced conductivity region comprises a region that is not non-transparent.

17. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the reduced conductivity region comprises an implanted region.

18. The light emitting device of claim 11 , further comprising a metal stack on the surface of the p-type semiconductor layer wherein the reduced conductivity region corresponds to a region of damage at an interface between the metal stack and the p-type semiconductor layer.

19. The light emitting device of claim 18 , wherein the region of damage comprises a wet or dry etched region of the p-type semiconductor layer.

20. The light emitting device of claim 18 , wherein the region of damage comprises a region of the p-type semiconductor layer exposed to a high energy plasma.

21. The light emitting device of claim 18 , wherein the region of damage comprises a region of the p-type semiconductor layer exposed to H 2 .

22. The light emitting device of claim 18 , wherein the region of damage comprises a region of the p-type semiconductor layer exposed to a high energy laser.

23. A light emitting device, comprising:

a p-type semiconductor layer, an n-type semiconductor layer, and an active region between the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer;

a non-transparent feature on the n-type semiconductor layer opposite the p-type semiconductor layer; and

a metal contact on a surface of the p-type semiconductor layer opposite the n-type semiconductor layer, wherein the metal contact forms on ohmic contact to the p-type semiconductor layer in a region other than a reduced conductivity area of the surface of the p-type semiconductor layer that is aligned with the non-transparent feature.

24. The light emitting device of claim 23 , wherein the non-transparent region comprises a bond pad, a passivation region, and/or a current spreading finger.

25. The light emitting device of claim 23 , further comprising a reduced conductivity region in the p-type semiconductor layer and aligned with the non-transparent feature and the reduced conductivity area, the reduced conductivity region extending from the surface of the p-type semiconductor layer towards the active region.

26. The light emitting device of claim 23 , further comprising a reduced conductivity region in the n-type semiconductor layer and aligned with the non-transparent feature, the reduced conductivity region extending from a surface of the n-type semiconductor layer opposite the p-type semiconductor layer towards the active region.

27. The light emitting device of claim 23 , further comprising a non-ohmic contact on the surface of the p-type semiconductor layer.

28. The light emitting device of claim 27 , wherein the non-ohmic contact comprises a metal that does not form an ohmic contact with the p-type semiconductor layer.

29. The light emitting device of claim 27 , wherein the non-ohmic contact comprises an insulator on the surface of the p-type semiconductor layer.

30. A light emitting device, comprising:

a p-type semiconductor layer, an n-type semiconductor layer, and an active region between the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer;

a wire bond pad on the n-type semiconductor layer opposite the p-type semiconductor layer;

a reduced conductivity region in the n-type semiconductor layer and aligned with the wire bond pad, the reduced conductivity region extending from a surface of the n-type semiconductor layer opposite the p-type semiconductor layer towards the active region; and

an ohmic contact on the n-type semiconductor layer adjacent and in electrical contact with the wire bond pad.

31. The light emitting device of claim 30 , further comprising a metal stack on a surface of the p-type semiconductor layer opposite the n-type semiconductor layer.

32. The light emitting device of claim 31 , wherein the metal stack comprises an ohmic layer directly on the p-type semiconductor layer, and a reflective layer on the ohmic layer.

33. The light emitting device of claim 32 , wherein the metal stack comprises a bonding layer on the reflective layer.

34. The light emitting device of claim 30 , wherein the reduced conductivity region comprises a first reduced conductivity region, the light emitting device further comprising a second reduced conductivity region in the p-type semiconductor layer and aligned with the wire bond pad, the second reduced conductivity region extending from a surface of the p-type semiconductor layer opposite the n-type semiconductor layer towards the active region.

35. The light emitting device of claim 30 , further comprising a metal contact on a surface of the p-type semiconductor layer opposite the n-type semiconductor layer, wherein the metal contact forms on ohmic contact to the p-type semiconductor layer in a region other than a reduced conductivity area of the surface of the p-type semiconductor layer that is aligned with the wire bond pad.

36. The light emitting device of claim 30 , further comprising a non-ohmic contact on the reduced conductivity area of the surface of the p-type semiconductor layer.

37. The light emitting device of claim 36 , wherein the non-ohmic contact comprises a metal that does not form an ohmic contact with the p-type semiconductor layer.

38. The light emitting device of claim 36 , wherein the non-ohmic contact comprises an insulator on the surface of the p-type semiconductor layer.

39. The light emitting device of claim 30 , wherein the reduced conductivity region corresponds to a region of damage at an interface between the n-type semiconductor layer and the wire bond pad.

40. The light emitting device of claim 39 , wherein the region of damage comprises a wet or dry etched region of the n-type semiconductor layer.

41. The light emitting device of claim 39 , wherein the region of damage comprises a region of the n-type semiconductor layer exposed to a high energy plasma.

42. The light emitting device of claim 39 , wherein the region of damage comprises a region of the n-type semiconductor layer exposed to H 2 .

43. The light emitting device of claim 39 , wherein the region of damage comprises a region of the n-type semiconductor layer exposed to a high energy laser.

44. A light emitting device, comprising:

a p-type semiconductor layer, an n-type semiconductor layer, and an active region between the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer;

a bond pad on the p-type semiconductor layer opposite the n-type semiconductor layer; and

a reduced conductivity region in the p-type semiconductor layer, wherein the edges of the reduced conductivity region are aligned with the edges of the bond pad, the reduced conductivity region extending from a surface of the p-type semiconductor layer opposite the n-type semiconductor layer towards the active region.

45. A light emitting device, comprising:

a p-type semiconductor layer, an n-type semiconductor layer, and an active region between the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer;

a bond pad on the p-type semiconductor layer opposite the n-type semiconductor layer;

a reduced conductivity region in the semiconductor layer aligned with the bond pad, the reduced conductivity region extending from a surface of the p-type semiconductor layer opposite the n-type semiconductor layer towards the active region; and

a reflector between the bondpad and the p-type semiconductor layer.

46. The light emitting device of claim 45 , further comprising a current spreading finger on the p-type semiconductor layer, wherein the reduced conductivity region is further aligned with the current spreading finger.

47. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the non-transparent feature is on the n-type semiconductor layer opposite the p-type semiconductor layer.