Light emitting diode with improved current spreading performance
View Patent ↗Disclosed is a light emitting diode (LED) for enhancing the current spreading performance. The LED includes a plurality of contact holes exposing an N-type semiconductor layer through a P-type semiconductor layer and an active layer, and a connection pattern electrically connecting exposed portions of the N-type semiconductor layer through the contact holes, thereby enhancing current spreading in the N-type semiconductor layer. In addition, disclosed is an LED including a plurality of light emitting cells spaced apart from one another on an N-type semiconductor layer and an N-contact layer between the light emitting cells. A plurality of light emitting cells are employed in the LED, so that current can be spread in the LED.
1. A light emitting diode (LED), comprising:
an N-type semiconductor layer;
a P-type semiconductor layer;
an active layer interposed between the N-type and P-type semiconductor layers;
a plurality of contact holes exposing the N-type semiconductor layer through the P-type semiconductor layer and the active layer;
a P-contact layer formed on the P-type semiconductor layer;
a connection pattern formed in the contact holes and on the P-contact layer, the connection pattern to electrically connect exposed portions of the N-type semiconductor layer in the contact holes to one another, wherein an upper region of the P-contact layer is partitioned into a plurality of regions by the connection pattern;
an insulating layer interposed between the P-contact layer and the connection pattern and between sidewalls of the contact holes and the connection pattern; and
P-bumps formed in the partitioned regions and electrically connected to the P-contact layer.
2. The LED as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising N-contact layers interposed between the connection pattern and the exposed portions of the N-type semiconductor layer in the contact holes.
3. The LED as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of contact holes are regularly arranged.
4. The LED as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the plurality of contact holes are arranged in a matrix form.
5. The LED as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the connection pattern connects the plurality of contact holes in a line shape.
6. The LED as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising N-bumps formed on the connection pattern.
7. The LED as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the connection pattern includes an N-bump region positioned at an edge of the LED, and the N-bumps are formed on the N-bump region.
8. The LED as claimed in claim 7 , wherein some of the plurality of contact holes are positioned under the N-bump region.
9. The LED as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the LED emits ultraviolet light.
10. An LED, comprising:
an N-type semiconductor layer having a cell region and an N-electrode region around the cell region;
a plurality of light emitting cells spaced apart from one another on the cell region of the N-type semiconductor layer, each of the light emitting cells having a P-type semiconductor layer and an active layer interposed between the N-type and P-type semiconductor layers;
a P-contact layer formed on the P-type semiconductor layer of each of the light emitting cells;
an N-contact layer spaced apart from the light emitting cells and formed on the N-type semiconductor layer in the N-electrode region and the N-type semiconductor layer between the light emitting cells;
a P-connection layer formed over the cell region to electrically connect the P-contact layers to one another; and
an insulating layer interposed between the P-connection layer and sidewalls of the light emitting cells and between the P-connection layer and the N-contact layer.
11. The LED as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising N-bumps formed on the N-contact layer on the N-electrode region, and P-bumps formed on the P-connection layer.
12. The LED as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the N-electrode region surrounds the cell region.
13. The LED as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the P-bumps are formed on the light emitting cells, respectively.
14. The LED as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the light emitting cells are regularly arranged.
15. The LED as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the light emitting cells are arranged in a matrix form.
16. A light emitting diode (LED), comprising:
an N-type semiconductor layer;
a P-type semiconductor layer;
an active layer interposed between the N-type and P-type semiconductor layers;
a plurality of contact holes exposing the N-type semiconductor layer through the P-type semiconductor layer and the active layer;
a P-contact layer formed on the P-type semiconductor layer;
a connection pattern formed in the contact holes and on the P-contact layer, the connection pattern to electrically connect exposed portions of the N-type semiconductor layer in the contact holes to one another;
an insulating layer interposed between the P-contact layer and the connection pattern and between sidewalls of the contact holes and the connection pattern; and
N-bumps formed on the connection pattern.
17. The LED as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the plurality of contact holes are regularly arranged.
18. The LED as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the connection pattern connects the plurality of contact holes in a line shape.
19. The LED as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the connection pattern includes an N-bump region positioned at an edge of the LED, and the N-bumps are formed on the N-bump region.
20. The LED as claimed in claim 19 , wherein some of the plurality of contact holes are positioned under the N-bump region.
21. A light emitting diode (LED), comprising:
an N-type semiconductor layer;
a P-type semiconductor layer;
an active layer interposed between the N-type and P-type semiconductor layers;
a plurality of contact holes exposing the N-type semiconductor layer through the P-type semiconductor layer and the active layer;
a P-contact layer formed on the P-type semiconductor layer;
a connection pattern formed in the contact holes and on the P-contact layer, the connection pattern to electrically connect exposed portions of the N-type semiconductor layer in the contact holes to one another;
an insulating layer interposed between the P-contact layer and the connection pattern and between sidewalls of the contact holes and the connection pattern; and
N-contact layers interposed between the connection pattern and the exposed portions of the N-type semiconductor layer in the contact holes.
22. The LED as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the plurality of contact holes are regularly arranged.
23. The LED as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the connection pattern connects the plurality of contact holes in a line shape.
24. The LED as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the connection pattern includes an N-bump region positioned at an edge of the LED, and the N-bumps are formed on the N-bump region.
25. The LED as claimed in claim 24 , wherein some of the plurality of contact holes are positioned under the N-bump region.