Light-emitting diode with current-spreading region

1. A light-emitting diode (LED) device comprising:

a substrate;

an LED structure formed on the substrate, the LED structure including an upper layer and a lower layer with a light-emitting layer positioned between the upper layer and the lower layer; and

a current blocking layer formed in the upper layer, wherein the current blocking layer comprises a region of resistive material comprising implanted impurities;

wherein:

the upper layer includes a first layer and a second layer;

the current blocking layer is formed in the first layer; and

the second layer and the light-emitting layer are disposed on opposite sides of the first layer.

2. The LED device of claim 1 , wherein the implanted impurities comprise magnesium, carbon, or silicon ions implanted or diffused into the upper layer.

3. The LED device of claim 1 , further comprising a first electrode and a second electrode positioned on a first side of the substrate, the first electrode contacting the upper layer and the second electrode contacting the lower layer.

4. The LED device of claim 3 , wherein the first electrode is positioned above the current blocking layer.

5. The LED device of claim 1 , wherein the current blocking layer has a width of about 50 Å to about 500 μm.

6. A photonic lighting device, comprising:

a substrate;

a first layer disposed over the substrate, the first layer containing a first group III-V compound having a first type of conductivity;

an active layer disposed over the first layer;

a second layer disposed over the active layer, the second layer containing a second group III-V compound having a second type of conductivity different from the first type, wherein the second layer has a same material composition throughout;

a current blocking layer disposed in the second layer; and

an electrode disposed over, and electrically coupled to, the second layer, the electrode being aligned with the currently blocking layer.

7. The photonic lighting device of claim 6 , further comprising a further electrode disposed over, and electrically coupled to, the first layer.

8. The photonic lighting device of claim 6 , wherein the current blocking layer includes a resistive region.

9. The photonic lighting device of claim 8 , wherein the resistive region contains implanted impurities.

10. The photonic lighting device of claim 9 , wherein the implanted impurities include at least one of: silicon, carbon, or magnesium ions.

11. The photonic lighting device of claim 6 , wherein the current blocking layer has a width in a range from about 50 angstroms to about 500 microns.

12. The photonic lighting device of claim 6 , wherein:

the first group III-V compound includes n-doped gallium nitride;

the second group III-V compound includes p-doped gallium nitride; and

the active layer includes a multiple quantum well.

13. The photonic lighting device of claim 6 , wherein the electrode contains at least one of: titanium, aluminum, gold, nickel, or alloys thereof.

14. The photonic lighting device of claim 6 , wherein the substrate contains one of: sapphire, silicon, or silicon carbide.

15. A light-emitting diode, comprising:

a substrate;

a first semiconductor layer located over the substrate, the first semiconductor layer containing an n-doped group III-V compound;

a multiple quantum well located over the first semiconductor layer;

a second semiconductor layer located over the multiple quantum well, the second semiconductor layer containing a p-doped III-V compound having a uniform material composition throughout;

a resistive current blocking element located in the second semiconductor layer;

a first electrode located over, and electrically coupled to, the first semiconductor layer;

a second electrode located over, and electrically coupled to, the second semiconductor layer, the second electrode being vertically aligned with the currently blocking element.

16. The light-emitting diode of claim 15 , wherein the current blocking element contains implanted impurities.

17. The light-emitting diode of claim 16 , wherein the implanted impurities include at least one of: silicon, carbon, or magnesium ions.

18. The light-emitting diode of claim 15 , wherein the current blocking element has a width in a range from about 50 angstroms to about 500 microns.

19. The light-emitting diode of claim 15 , wherein:

the substrate contains one of: sapphire, silicon, or silicon carbide;

the n-doped III-V compound includes n-doped gallium nitride;

the p-doped group III-V compound includes p-doped gallium nitride; and

the first and second electrodes each contain at least one of: titanium, aluminum, gold, nickel, or alloys thereof.