Semiconductor light emitting device with integrated ESD protection

1. A semiconductor light emitting device with integrated electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection, comprising:

a light emitting structure comprising a plurality of compound semiconductor layers;

an insulation layer disposed on a side surface of the light emitting structure;

a conductive layer disposed under the light emitting structure;

a first electrode layer comprising

a line electrode disposed on the light emitting structure, and

a first electrode disposed outwardly from an outer area of the light emitting structure; and

a tunnel barrier layer between the first electrode of the first electrode layer and a first portion of the conductive layer,

wherein the light emitting structure is disposed between the conductive layer and the line electrode of the first electrode layer,

wherein the tunnel barrier layer is disposed outwardly from the outer area of the light emitting structure, and

wherein the plurality of compound semiconductor layers comprise

a first conductive semiconductor layer,

a second conductive semiconductor layer between the first conductive semiconductor layer and the conductive layer, and

an active layer between the first conductive semiconductor layer and the second conductive semiconductor layer.

2. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a conductive support member disposed under the conductive layer and disposed on the side surface of the light emitting structure,

wherein the conductive layer comprises an ohmic layer.

3. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 2 , wherein a first portion of the insulation layer is disposed between the tunnel barrier layer and the first portion of the conductive layer.

4. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the tunnel barrier layer is formed according to a top surface of the first portion of the conductive layer or on a part of the top surface of the first portion of the conductive layer.

5. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first electrode layer comprises at least one first pad, and

wherein the first electrode is connected to the first pad and is disposed on the tunnel barrier layer.

6. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 5 , wherein the first electrode layer comprises at least one line electrode diverged from the first pad and connected to the first electrode.

7. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the tunnel barrier layer comprises at least one of Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , Si 3 N 4 , SiCN, TiO 2 and Ta 2 O 3 .

8. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the tunnel barrier layer is disposed on a different area of the first portion of the conductive layer.

9. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the tunnel barrier layer is about 10 to 200 Å.

10. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the tunnel barrier layer is formed in a plurality and the plurality of the tunnel barrier layers are spaced apart from each other.

11. A semiconductor light emitting device with integrated electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection, comprising:

a light emitting structure comprising a plurality of compound semiconductor layers,

wherein the plurality of compound semiconductor layers comprise

a first conductive semiconductor layer,

a second conductive semiconductor layer under the first conductive semiconductor layer, and

an active layer between the first conductive semiconductor layer and a second conductive semiconductor layer;

an insulation layer on a side surface of the light emitting structure;

a conductive layer comprising an ohmic layer disposed under the second conductive semiconductor layer of the light emitting structure, a first portion of the conductive layer disposed outwardly from an outer area of the light emitting structure;

a tunnel barrier layer on the first portion of the conductive layer and disposed outwardly from the outer area of the light emitting structure;

a first electrode layer comprising

a line electrode disposed on the first conductive semiconductor layer of the light emitting structure, and

a first electrode disposed outwardly from the outer area of the light emitting structure,

wherein the first electrode of the first electrode layer is connected to the tunnel barrier layer; and

a conductive support member disposed under the conductive layer and including a first portion disposed outwardly from the outer area of the light emitting structure,

wherein the light emitting structure is disposed between the conductive layer and the first electrode layer.

12. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 11 , wherein the light emitting structure comprises at least one of a P-N junction structure, an N-P junction structure, a P-N-P structure and an N-P-N junction structure.

13. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 11 , wherein the tunnel barrier layer is formed in a pattern of the same shape as that of the first electrode layer.

14. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 11 , wherein the tunnel barrier layer has a conductor characteristic when an abnormal voltage is applied through the first electrode layer or the conductive support member.

15. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 11 , wherein the tunnel barrier layer comprises an insulation material, and is connected to the light emitting structure in parallel.

16. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 11 ,

wherein the first electrode layer comprises:

at least one first pad disposed on the light emitting structure; and

the line electrode is diverged from the first pad, and

wherein the first electrode is connected to the line electrode and the tunnel barrier layer.

17. A semiconductor light emitting device with integrated electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection, comprising:

a light emitting structure comprising a first conductive semiconductor layer, a second conductive semiconductor layer, and an active layer between the first conductive semiconductor layer and the second conductive semiconductor layer;

an insulation layer disposed on a side surface of the light emitting structure;

a conductive layer comprising an ohmic layer disposed under the second conductive semiconductor layer and including a first portion disposed outwardly from an outer area of the light emitting structure;

a first electrode layer comprising

a line electrode disposed on the first conductive semiconductor layer, and

a first electrode disposed outwardly from the outer area of the light emitting structure;

a conductive support member disposed under the conductive layer, wherein a first portion of the conductive support member is disposed on the side surface of the light emitting structure; and

a tunnel barrier layer disposed on the first portion of the conductive support member,

wherein the light emitting structure is disposed between the conductive layer and the first electrode layer,

wherein the first electrode of the first electrode layer is disposed on the tunnel barrier layer, and

wherein the tunnel barrier layer is disposed outwardly from the outer area of the light emitting structure.

18. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 17 , wherein the conductive layer includes

a first portion disposed between the tunnel barrier layer and the first portion of the conductive support member, and

a second portion disposed between the insulation layer and the first portion of the conductive support member.

19. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 18 , wherein the first portion of conductive support member contacts with the first portion of the conductive layer.

20. The semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 17 , wherein the tunnel barrier layer comprises an insulation material and is spaced apart from a surface of the light emitting structure.