Light emitting devices having a roughened reflective bond pad and methods of fabricating light emitting devices having roughened reflective bond pads

1. A light emitting device, comprising:

an active region comprising semiconductor material;

a first contact on the active region;

a photon absorbing wire bond pad on the first contact, the wire bond pad having an area less than the area of the first contact;

a reflective structure disposed between the first contact and the wire bond pad and having an area that is less than the area of the first contact; and

a second contact opposite the active region from the first contact;

wherein the reflective structure comprises:

a roughened area of the first contact; and

a reflective metal layer on the roughened area of the first contact.

2. A light emitting device, comprising:

an active region comprising semiconductor material;

a first contact on the active region;

a photon absorbing wire bond pad on the first contact, the wire bond pad having an area less than the area of the first contact;

a reflective structure disposed between the first contact and the wire bond pad and having an area that is less than the area of the first contact; and

a second contact opposite the active region from the first contact;

wherein the reflective structure comprises a roughened area of the first contact and wherein the wire bond pad is directly on the first contact; and

wherein the reflective structure does not extend beyond the wire bond pad.

3. The light emitting device of claim 2 further comprising a p-type semiconductor material disposed between the first contact and the active region.

4. The light emitting device of claim 2 , further comprising an n-type semiconductor material between the first contact and the active region.

5. The light emitting device of claim 2 , wherein the active region comprises a Group III-nitride based active region.

6. The light emitting device of claim 2 wherein the reflective structure comprises a layer of reflective metal.

7. The light emitting device of claim 2 , wherein the reflective structure is self-aligned with the wire bond pad.

8. The light emitting device of claim 2 , wherein the roughened area is self-aligned with the wire bond pad.

9. The light emitting device of claim 2 , wherein the reflective structure has substantially the same area as the wire bond pad.

10. The light emitting device of claim 2 , wherein the reflective structure is substantially congruent with the wire bond pad.

11. A method of fabricating a light emitting device, comprising:

forming an active region of semiconductor material;

forming a first contact on the active region;

forming a reflective structure on the first contact and having an area less than an area of the first contact

forming a photon absorbing wire bond pad on reflective structure, the wire bond pad having an area less than the area of the first contact; and

forming a second contact opposite the active region from the first contact;

wherein forming a reflective structure comprises roughening an area of the first contact; and

wherein forming a reflective structure and forming a wire bond pad comprises:

forming a mask layer on the first contact, the mask layer having an opening that exposes a portion of the first contact corresponding to the location of the wire bond pad on the first contact;

depositing a reflective metal layer in the opening of the mask layer; and

forming the wire bond pad on the reflective metal layer in the opening of the mask layer.

12. A method of fabricating a light emitting device, comprising:

forming an active region of semiconductor material;

forming a first contact on the active region;

forming a reflective structure on the first contact and having an area less than an area of the first contact

forming a photon absorbing wire bond pad on reflective structure, the wire bond pad having an area less than the area of the first contact; and

forming a second contact opposite the active region from the first contact;

wherein forming a reflective structure comprises roughening an area of the first contact and wherein forming a wire bond pad comprises forming a wire bond pad directly on the first contact; and

wherein roughening an area of the first contact and forming a wire bond pad comprises:

forming a mask layer on the first contact, the mask layer having an opening that exposes a portion of the first contact corresponding to the location of the wire bond pad on the first contact;

roughening the portion of the first contact exposed by the opening of the mask layer; and

forming the wire bond pad on the roughened portion of the first contact in the opening of the mask layer.

13. A method of fabricating a light emitting device, comprising:

forming an active region of semiconductor material;

forming a first contact on the active region;

forming a reflective structure on the first contact and having an area less than an area of the first contact

forming a photon absorbing wire bond pad on reflective structure, the wire bond pad having an area less than the area of the first contact; and

forming a second contact opposite the active region from the first contact;

wherein forming a reflective structure comprises:

forming a roughened area of the first contact; and

forming a reflective metal layer on the roughened area of the first contact.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising forming a p-type semiconductor material disposed between the first contact and the active region.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising forming an n-type semiconductor material between the first contact and the active region.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein forming an active region comprises forming a Group III-nitride based active region.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the reflective structure does not extend beyond the wire bond pad.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the reflective structure has substantially the same area as the wire bond pad.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the reflective structure is substantially congruent with the wire bond pad.