Thin-film LED with P and N contacts electrically isolated from the substrate

1. A thin-film light emitting diode, comprising:

a substrate;

a metal layer formed on a lower surface of the substrate for mounting on a sub-mount;

a conductive adhesive layer formed on an upper surface of the substrate;

a reflective electrode formed on the conductive adhesive layer, wherein the conductive adhesive layer and the reflective electrode are metal and together form a metallic current spreading layer, and an entire edge of the metallic current spreading layer is recessed from an edge of the substrate so as to form a recessed portion;

an epitaxial structure on the reflective electrode, the epitaxial structure comprising an n-type GaN-based layer, a p-type GaN-based layer and an active region between the n-type GaN-based layer and the p-type GaN-based layer, the p-type GaN-based layer disposed between the active region and the metallic current spreading layer, wherein a part of the epitaxial structure is removed so as to form a mesa and expose an upper surface of the metallic current spreading layer; and

a pad contact formed on the exposed upper surface of the metallic current spreading layer for a bonding wire.

2. The thin-film light emitting diode of claim 1 , wherein the metallic current spreading layer has a thickness greater than about 1 um.

3. The thin-film light emitting diode of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is transparent for the wavelengths between about 300 nm and 700 nm with a transmittance greater than about 50%.

4. The thin-film light emitting diode of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is reflective for the wavelength between about 300 nm and 700 nm with a reflectance greater than about 50%.

5. The thin film light emitting diode of claim 1 , wherein the n-type GaN-based layer has a roughened surface with micro-structures, the micro-structures being between about 100 nm and 500 nm in size.

6. The thin-film light emitting diode of claim 1 , further comprising a patterned second electrode on the n-type GaN-based layer.

7. The thin-film light emitting diode of claim 6 , wherein the patterned second electrode is on a top surface of the mesa.

8. The thin-film light emitting diode of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is not an original growth substrate for the epitaxial structure.

9. The thin-film light emitting diode of claim 1 , wherein said reflective electrode reflects a light emitted from the active region and conducts a current from the pad contact to the epitaxial structure.

10. The thin-film light emitting diode of claim 1 , wherein the reflective electrode is formed on the p-type GaN-based layer with a capping layer.

11. The thin-film light emitting diode of claim 10 , wherein the capping layer comprises Au.

12. The thin-film light emitting diode of claim 1 , wherein the conductive adhesive layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of eutectic metal, solder metal and silver epoxy.

13. The thin-film light emitting diode of claim 1 , wherein the conductive adhesive layer comprises eutectic metal.

14. The thin-film light emitting diode of claim 1 , further comprises an insulating layer formed between the substrate and the conductive adhesive layer, wherein the substrate is a conductive substrate.