IP Library Granted Patent US 7,906,788
Granted Patent B2
US 7,906,788 · App. 11/720,258 · Granted Mar 15, 2011

Semiconductor light emitting device, illumination module, illumination apparatus, method for manufacturing semiconductor light emitting device, and method for manufacturing semiconductor light emitting element

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,906,788
App. No.
11/720,258
Granted
Mar 15, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor light emitting device ( 10 ) is provided with a base substrate ( 12 ) and three LED chips ( 14 A, 14 B, and 14 C) disposed on the base substrate ( 12 ). Each LED chip ( 14 A, 14 B, and 14 C) includes a semiconductor multilayer structure ( 20 ) and has a rhombus shape with interior angles of approximately 60 and approximately 120 in plan view. Each semiconductor multilayer structure ( 20 ) has an HCP single crystal structure and includes a light emission layer ( 24 ). The LED chips ( 14 A, 14 B, and 14 C) are arranged on the base substrate ( 12 ) so as to face one another at a vertex forming the larger interior angle in plan view. With this arrangement, the LED chips ( 14 A, 14 B, and 14 C) as a whole form a substantially regular hexagonal shape.

Claims (44)

1. A semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

a base substrate including an insulating substrate and a plurality of conductive patterns disposed on one main surface of the insulating substrate; and

three light emitting elements each including a semiconductor multilayer structure, a first electrode, and a second electrode, and having a rhombus shape with interior angles of approximately 60° and approximately 120° in plan view, wherein

each semiconductor multilayer structure includes two conductive layers and a light emission layer sandwiched between the conductive layers, one of the conductive layers extending beyond the light emission layer so that a part of a main surface of the conductive layer facing toward the light emission layer is exposed,

in each semiconductor multilayer structure, one of the first and second electrodes is disposed in contact with the exposed surface of the conductive layer, and another one of the first and second electrodes is disposed in contact with a main surface of another one of the conductive layers facing away from the light emission layer,

the three light emitting elements are arranged on one main surface of the base substrate having the conductive patterns disposed thereon with the first and second electrodes facing toward the base substrate, so as to together form a substantially regular hexagonal shape in plan view, and in each light emitting element, the first electrode is connected to one of the conductive patterns via a bump, and the second electrode is connected to another one of the conductive patterns via a bump, and

a phosphor is disposed to adherently cover the three light emitting elements, wherein the phosphor has a low profile and substantially regular hexagonal shape having a center substantially coinciding with a center of the substantially regular hexagonal shape formed by the three light emitting elements.

2. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein each semiconductor multilayer structure constitutes a diode,

each first electrode is an anode electrode and each second electrode is a cathode electrode, and

the three light emitting elements are connected in series by electrically connecting, via one of the conductive patterns, the cathode electrode of one of the three light emitting elements to the anode electrode of another one of the three light emitting elements.

3. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a first power supply terminal and a second power supply terminal both disposed on a main surface of the insulating substrate facing away from the main surface on which the conductive layers are disposed, wherein

the insulating substrate has a first through hole and a second through hole each filled with metal,

the first power supply terminal is electrically connected, via the first through hole, to one of the conductive patterns that is connected to the anode electrode of one of the serially connected three light emitting elements that is at a high-potential end, and

the second power supply terminal is electrically connected, via the second through hole, to one of the conductive patterns that is connected to the cathode electrode of one of the serially connected three light emitting elements that is at a low-potential end.

4. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the-insulating substrate has a substantially regular hexagonal shape.

5. An illumination module comprising:

a mounting substrate; and

the semiconductor light emitting device of claim 1 mounted on the mounting substrate.

6. An illumination apparatus comprising, as a light source, the illumination module of claim 5 .

7. A semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

a base substrate including an insulating substrate and a plurality of conductive patterns disposed on one main surface of the insulating substrate; and

six light emitting elements each including a semiconductor multilayer structure, a first electrode, and a second electrode and having a substantially regular triangular shape in plan view, wherein

each semiconductor multilayer structure includes two conductive layers and a light emission layer sandwiched between the conductive layers; one of the conductive layers extending beyond the light emission layer, so that part of a main surface of the conductive layer facing toward the light emission layer is exposed,

in each semiconductor multilayer structure, one of the first and second electrodes is disposed in contact with the exposed surface of the conductive layer, and another one of the first and second electrodes is disposed in contact with a main surface of another one of the conductive layers facing away from the light emission layer,

the six light emitting elements are arranged on one main surface of the base substrate having the conductive patterns disposed thereon with the first and second electrodes facing toward the base substrate, so as to together form a substantially regular hexagonal shape in plan view, and

in each light emitting element, the first electrode is connected to one of the conductive patterns via a bump and the second electrode is connected to another one of the conductive patterns via a bump, and

a phosphor disposed to adherently cover the six light emitting elements, wherein the phosphor has a low profile and substantially cylindrical outer shape having a center substantially coinciding with a center of the substantially regular hexagonal shape formed by the six light emitting elements.

8. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 7 , wherein

each semiconductor multilayer structure constitutes a diode,

each first electrode is an anode electrode and each second electrode is a cathode electrode, and

three of the six light emitting elements constitute a first array and other three of the six light emitting elements constitute a second array,

the three light emitting elements of each array are connected in series by electrically connecting, via one of the conductive patterns, the cathode electrode of one of the three light emitting elements to the anode electrode of another one of the three light emitting elements, and

the first and second arrays are connected in parallel.

9. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a first power supply terminal and a second power supply terminal both disposed on a main surface of the insulating substrate facing away from the main surface on which the conductive layers are disposed, wherein

the insulating substrate has a first through hole and a second through hole, the first power supply terminal is electrically connected, via the first through hole, to one of the conductive patterns that is connected to the anode electrode of each light emitting element that is at a high-potential end in the respective arrays; and

the second power supply terminal is electrically connected, via the second through hole, to one of the conductive patterns that is connected to the cathode electrode of each light emitting element that is at a low-potential end in the respective arrays.

10. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 7 , wherein

the insulating substrate has a substantially regular hexagonal shape.

11. An illumination module comprising:

a mounting substrate; and

the semiconductor light emitting device of claim 7 mounted on the mounting substrate.

12. An illumination apparatus comprising, as a light source, the illumination module of claim 11 .

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 11, 2008
From: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021818/0725 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 11, 2008
From: NAGAI, HIDEO
To: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 021370/0029 →