LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE
20210187928 · 2021-06-24
Inventors
- Daisuke SANGA (Tokushima-shi, JP)
- Masatsugu ICHIKAWA (Tokushima-shi, JP)
- Shunsuke MINATO (Anan-shi, JP)
- Toru TAKASONE (Tokushima-shi, JP)
- Masahiko SANO (Anan-shi, JP)
Cpc classification
B32B37/02
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
H01L33/507
ELECTRICITY
International classification
B32B38/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B32B37/02
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
H01L33/00
ELECTRICITY
Abstract
A light emitting device can further improve light extraction efficiency. A method of manufacturing such a light emitting device can also prove advantageous. The light emitting device includes a light emitting element, a light-transmissive member which is disposed on a light extracting surface side of the light emitting element, and a reflecting layer disposed on an element bonding surface of the light transmissive member where the light emitting element is disposed and adjacent to the light emitting element. The light-transmissive member, in a plan view, has a planar dimension greater than the light extracting surface of the light emitting element.
Claims
1. A backlight source, comprising: a light emitting element; a first light transmissive member disposed over a light extracting surface side of the light emitting element, in a plan view, the first light transmissive member having a planar dimension greater than a light extracting surface of the light emitting element; and a reflecting layer disposed on opposite surface of a light extracting surface of the first light transmissive member, wherein the reflecting layer is thinner than the light emitting element.
2. The backlight source according to claim 1, wherein the first light transmissive member disposed over the light emitting element via a second light transmissive member.
3. The backlight source according to claim 1, further comprising a fluorescent material layer disposed on the light extracting surface of the first light transmissive member.
4. The backlight source according to claim 3, wherein the fluorescent material layer includes a planar dimension larger than the first light transmissive member in a plan view.
5. The backlight source according to claim 1, wherein the reflecting layer includes a dielectric multilayer film.
6. The backlight source according to claim 1, wherein the reflecting layer includes a dielectric multilayer film, and a metal film disposed on the dielectric multilayer film at an opposite side to the first light transmissive member.
7. The backlight source according to claim 1, further comprising: a mounting substrate disposed opposite side to the light extracting surface of the light emitting element; and a reflecting material disposed to cover at least one from the group consisting of side surfaces of the light emitting element and side surfaces of the first light transmissive member.
8. The backlight source according to claim 7, wherein the reflecting layer is made of a dielectric multilayer film and the reflecting material covers the dielectric multilayer film.
9. The backlight source according to claim 3, further comprising: a mounting substrate disposed opposite side to the light extracting surface of the light emitting element; and a reflecting material disposed to cover at least one from the group consisting of side surfaces of the light emitting element, side surfaces of the first light transmissive member and side surfaces of the fluorescent material layer.
10. The backlight source according to claim 9, wherein the reflecting layer is made of a dielectric multilayer film and the reflecting material covers the dielectric multilayer film.
11. The backlight source according to claim 1, wherein the reflecting layer includes a white resin layer.
12. The backlight source according to claim 3, wherein the fluorescent material layer is directly disposed on the light extracting surface of the first light transmissive member.
13. The backlight source according to claim 2, wherein the reflecting layer has a thickness thinner than a thickness of the second light transmissive member.
14. The backlight source according to claim 2, wherein the first light transmissive member has a refractive index substantially equal to or higher than a refractive index of the second light transmissive member.
15. The backlight source according to claim 3, further comprising a lens covering a light extracting surface of the fluorescent material layer.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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[0023]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The sizes and the arrangement relationships of the members in each of drawings are occasionally shown exaggerated for ease of explanation. In the description below, the same designations or the same reference numerals denote the same configuration, member or like members and duplicative descriptions will be appropriately omitted. Also, in each configuration, the terms “layer” and “film” differ only in various ways of explanation, and not by the thickness or the range to be disposed.
[0025] Configuration of Light Emitting Device
[0026] As shown in
[0027] The light emitting element 2 will be illustrated with an LED chip which is mounted in a flip-chip manner (face-down mounting) which includes an n-side electrode (n-side pad electrode 4n) and a p-side electrode (p-side whole surface electrode 6a and a p-side pad electrode 6p), disposed on a first surface side of the semiconductor stacked layer structure 8. It is suitable that such a light emitting element 2 includes a light emitting layer of a semiconductor such as ZnS, SiC, GaN, GaP, InN, AN, ZnSe, GaAsP, GaAlAs, InGaN, GaAlN, AlInGaP, or AlInGaN, formed on a substrate 3 by using, such as a liquid phase growing method, an HDVPE method, or a MOCVD method. The light emitting element 2 includes a semiconductor stacked layer structure 8 formed on a substrate 3 of a light transmissive sapphire substrate.
[0028] The semiconductor stacked layer structure 8 includes, for example, an n-type semiconductor layer 4 formed on the substrate 3, a p-type semiconductor layer 6 formed on the n-type semiconductor layer 4, an active layer 5 formed between the n-type semiconductor layer 4 and the p-type semiconductor layer 6, and a p-side whole surface electrode layer 6a formed on the p-type semiconductor layer 6. Further, in the semiconductor stacked layer structure 8, on a portion of the n-type semiconductor layer 4 where the p-type semiconductor layer 6 is not stacked, an n-side pad electrode 4n is formed and also a p-side pad electrode 6p is formed protruding over the p-side whole surface electrode 6a. Further, in the semiconductor stacked layer structure 8, a protective film 9 is disposed so that a portion of the n-side pad electrode at the connecting end surface side of the n-side pad electrode 4n and a portion of the p-side pad electrode 6p at the connecting end surface side of the p-side pad electrode 6p are exposed.
[0029] The light emitting element 2 is configured to have a light extracting surface 3A at one side of the substrate 3, and the emission wavelength can be selected variously from ultraviolet light to infrared light by selecting the materials of the semiconductor layer and the ratio of the mixed crystals. Examples of the material of the light emitting layer include In.sub.XAl.sub.YGa.sub.1-X-YN (0≤X≤1, 0≤Y≤1, X+Y≤1).
[0030] The light emitting element 2 is bonded to approximately center of the light transmissive member 10 with the light extracting surface 3A of the substrate 3. In the case where the light emitting element 2 is bonded to the light transmissive member 10, for example, the surface of the bonding position 10b (see
[0031] The light transmissive member 10 is formed on the light emitting element 2 in a layer-shape (film-shape) or a plate-shape, and for example, preferably made of an inorganic dielectric material or an organic inorganic hybrid material using at least one of SiO.sub.2, SiON, TiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3. The inorganic dielectric material using the material described above can be disposed by using CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), sputtering, vapor deposition, ALD (Atomic Laser Deposition), or the like. Examples of organic compositions for the organic inorganic hybrid materials include polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, nylon, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyimide. The organic inorganic hybrid material using the material described above can be disposed by using sol-gel method, in-situ polymerization method, solid reaction method, or the like.
[0032] The light transmissive member 10 is preferably formed with using the materials described above, but the materials are not limited thereto. For example, any material can be used as long as it is transparent to the wavelength of the LED and has a refractive index approximately similar to the refractive index of the fluorescent material layer 20 which is an optical member to be bonded with. Also, the light transmissive member 10 preferably has a thickness which allows flattening by polishing or the like, after being disposed.
[0033] The light transmissive member 10 is for improving the extraction efficiency of the light from the light emitting element 2. The light transmissive member 10 has a refractive index which is the same as or greater than the refractive index of the portion (the substrate member 3) of the light emitting element which is bounded to the light transmissive member 10, and formed with a planar dimension greater than the planar dimension of the light extracting surface 3A of the light emitting element 2 in a plan view. The light transmissive member 10 is, for example, formed with a planar dimension in a range of 1.1 to 5 times greater than the planar dimension of the light extracting surface 3A of the light emitting element 2, and in a position-matched state with the light emitting element 2 at an approximately the center. The light transmissive member 10 is, for example, formed with a thickness of 50 to 200 μm, and in a quadrilateral shape such as a rectangular shape or a square shape, with a long side or a side of 2 to 5 mm.
[0034] More specifically, the refractive index of the light transmissive member 10 is preferably about 1.4 to about 2.0. With the refractive index of the light transmissive member 10 in a range as described above, total reflection or the like of light, which occurs at an intersection can be securely decreased. Also, the refractive index of the light transmissive member 10 can be appropriately adjusted, by selecting the materials and the conditions for forming the layer, in view of the transmittance of the light.
[0035] For example, the refractive index of SiO (more specifically, SiO.sub.2, for example) may be 1.41, the refractive index of SiN (more specifically, Si.sub.3N.sub.4, for example) may be 2.0, and the refractive index of SiON (generally referred to as SiO.sub.XN.sub.Y) may be an intermediate value of those. Accordingly, in the case where the light transmissive member 10 is formed by using, for example, CVD, approximately setting the content ratio of Si, O, and N, allows obtaining of the refractive index as approximately similar to that of the semiconductor stacked layer structure 8 or as approximately similar to that of the fluorescent material layer (optical member) 20 to be described below.
[0036] The refractive index of the light transmissive member 10 may be approximately similar to that of the substrate member 3 of the light emitting element 2, which abuts on the light transmissive member 10, or may be approximately similar to that of the fluorescent material layer 20 to be described below, to reduce the boundary of the refractive indexes. Accordingly, the total reflection of light which occurs at the interface between the substrate member 3 of the light emitting element 2 and the light transmissive member 10, or the interface between the light transmissive member 10 and the air can be reduced, and the light extraction efficiency can be improved. Herein, the expression “approximately similar” refers to a range, for example, within ±0.3, preferably ±0.1, more preferably ±0.05 of the refractive index of the substrate member 3 of the light emitting element 2.
[0037] The light transmissive member 10 is provided with a reflecting layer 11 at an element bonding surface 10B to which the light extracting surface 3A of the light emitting element 2 is bonded. The reflecting layer 11 is for reflecting and outputting the returning light from the light extracting surface 10A of the light transmissive member 10. The reflecting layer 11 is disposed on the element bonding surface 10B of the light transmissive member 10, at a location close to (abutting to) and a periphery of the light emitting element 2. The reflecting layer 11 can be disposed abutting (being adjacent) to a side surface of the light emitting element 2 (in other words, abutting to the substrate member 3 or the protective film 9), or as shown in
[0038] The reflecting layer 11 is, for example, made of a dielectric multilayer film. The dielectric multilayer film is, for example, a multilayer made of SiO.sub.2/Nb.sub.2O.sub.5. The reflecting layer 11 more preferably has a configuration in which a dielectric multilayer film is disposed and a metal film is further provided. Examples of the metal film include Ag, Al, and Rh. Further, in the case where the reflecting layer 11 is provided with a metal film, a protective layer (SiO.sub.2) is preferably disposed on the metal film Thus, the reflecting layer 11 includes a configuration, for example, from the element bonding surface 10B of the light transmissive member 10, two or more layers of SiO.sub.2/Nb.sub.2O.sub.5 (10 layers, 20 layers, 30 layers, 40 layers, 45 layers, or 50 layers) such as SiO.sub.2/Nb.sub.2O.sub.5/SiO.sub.2/Nb.sub.2O.sub.5/ . . . SiO.sub.2/Nb.sub.2O.sub.5/Ag/SiO.sub.2. The reflecting layer 11 may have, for example, next to a stack of 41 layers of dielectric layers, an Ag layer which is a metal film is stacked, and further, and further, a SiO.sub.2 layer which is a protective layer is stacked on the Ag layer.
[0039] The light emitting device 1 having a structure as described above, light emitted from the light emitting element 2 travels an optical path as shown in
[0040] As indicated by the arrow H3, a portion of light may return to a location deviated from the light extracting surface 3A of the light emitting element 2. In the light emitting device 1, the reflecting layer 11 is disposed on the element bonding surface 10B of the light transmissive member 10 which has a wider area than the light extracting surface of the light emitting element 2, so that the return light which is shown by the arrow H3 can be reflected at the reflecting layer 11 to output from the light extracting surface 10A of the light transmissive member 10. In
[0041] Method of Manufacturing Light Emitting Device. Next, a first method of manufacturing to a third method of manufacturing a light emitting device will be described with reference to
[0042] Next, as shown in
[0043] Next, as shown in
[0044] Next, as shown in
[0045] The light emitting device manufactured as described above allows the return light from the light extracting surface 10A of the light transmissive member 10 to be reflected at the reflecting layer 11 and emitted to outside from the light extracting surface 10A.
[0046] Next, the second method of manufacturing a light emitting device 1 will be described with reference to
[0047] Next, as shown in
[0048] Next, as shown in
[0049] Next, the third method of manufacturing will be described with reference to
[0050] Then, as shown in
[0051] The light emitting device 1 manufactured as described above allows the return light from the light extracting surface 10A of the light transmissive member 10 to be reflected at the reflecting layer 11 and emitted to outside from the light extracting surface 10A. The light emitting device 1 is illustrated with a configuration in which light is extracted to outside from the light extracting surface 10A opposite side of the element-bonding surface of the light transmissive member 10, but the light emitting device 1A may also be employed in which a fluorescent material layer 20 on the light extracting surface 10A of the light transmissive member 10. In the below, the light emitting device 1A will be described with reference to
[0052] As shown in
[0053] The fluorescent material layer 20 includes a fluorescent material which allows obtaining of a desired color of light with a combination of the light extracted from the semiconductor stacked layer structure 8 of the light emitting element 2. A generally used fluorescent material such as an oxide-based fluorescent material, a nitride-based fluorescent material, and/or an oxynitride fluorescent material can be employed. Examples of such fluorescent materials include a YAG-based fluorescent material of a YAG (yttrium-aluminum-garnet) activated with Ce or the like, a nitride-based fluorescent material or an oxynitride-based fluorescent material activated with a lanthanoid series element such as Eu, Ce. The fluorescent material layer 20 may be formed in a fluorescent material plate, and an inorganic material such as a glass formed integrally with those fluorescent materials by sintering can be used. The optical member of the fluorescent material layer 20 preferably has a refractive index approximately similar to or the same as the refractive index of the light transmissive member 10. The fluorescent material layer 20 is, for example, formed with a thickness of 50 to 200 μm, and in a quadrilateral shape such as a rectangular shape or a square shape, with a long side or a side of 2 to 5 mm.
[0054] In the light emitting device 1A having the fluorescent material layer 20, as indicated by dashed arrows, light emitted from the light emitting element 2 propagates through the light transmissive member 10 and also propagates through the fluorescent material layer 20, and is emitted from the light extracting surface 20A of the fluorescent material layer 20. At this time, in the light emitting device 1A, a part of light may be reflected at an interface between the light transmissive member 10 and the fluorescent material layer 20, or at the light extracting surface 20A of the fluorescent material layer 20 which is an interface with the atmosphere, and returns. The returned light is reflected again at reflecting layer 11 to the light extracting surface 20A of the fluorescent material layer 20 and is outputted. Thus, because the reflecting layer 11 is disposed on the light transmissive member 10, even the light which returns to a location deviated from the light extracting surface 3A of the light emitting element 2 can be reflected again and extracted. Accordingly, the light emitting device 1A can achieve a higher light extracting efficiency compared to that of the light emitting devices with a conventional configuration.
[0055] The light emitting device 1A having the fluorescent material layer 20 can be manufactured by a method similar to that described above. More specifically, as shown in
[0056] Illustrated as the light emitting device 1B shown in
[0057] As a lens-type light emitting device 1C shown in
[0058] Further, the respective configuration of the light emitting devices 1, 1A, 1B, and 1C may be those described below. The substrate member 3 which is bonded to the light transmissive member 10 is explained as a sapphire substrate member, but for example, GaN which is equivalent to the semiconductor stacked layer structure 8 is used, the light transmissive member 10 with a refractive index equivalent to or greater than that of GaN may be employed. Thus, the light transmissive member 10 can be appropriately selected according to the member to be bonded with.
[0059] Examples for direct bonding of the light emitting element 2 and the light transmissive member 10 or the light transmissive material 100 include surface activated bonding, atomic diffusion bonding, and hydroxyl bonding, and one of those can be selectively used. The surface activated bonding is a bonding technique in which impurities such as oxides, moisture, organic matters which are attached to each surface layer of the members to be bonded are removed together with a part of respective surface layers, and bonding hands of the atoms of the surfaces are directly bonded at normal temperature (Reference: WO 2011/126000 A1). The atomic diffusion bonding is a bonding technique in which a microcrystalline film is formed on the surfaces of each of the members to be bonded under ultrahigh vacuum, and those thin films are overlapped and then bonded in vacuum. The hydroxyl bonding is a bonding technique in which the surfaces of the members to be bonded are subjected to hydrophilization treatment to form hydroxy groups (—OH groups) and the bonding surfaces are made in contact with each other, then, the members are bonded through the hydrogen bonds between the respective hydroxy groups.
[0060] The reflecting layer 11 is explained as a dielectric multilayer film, which may include a metal film and/or a protective layer. But the reflecting layer may be made singly of a dielectric multilayer film, singly of a metal film, a dielectric multilayer film and a protective layer, a metal film and a protective layer, or made of a material which can scatter/reflect light, such as a white resin layer, a coated layer, or the like. In the light emitting devices 1A, 1B, the fluorescent material layer 20 is illustrated as a specific example of the optical member, but it is not limited to the fluorescent material layer 20, the examples thereof can also include a fluorescent material plate, a sapphire substrate, a GaN substrate, and a lens, and one of those may be employed in the configuration.
[0061] Also, for example, in the case where a sapphire substrate member is used for the optical member, the sapphire substrate member may be made in a planar member, and in the case where a GaN substrate member is used, the GaN substrate member may be made in a planar member. Bonding those substrate members on the light transmissive member 10 allows an increase of the thickness as the light propagation layer of the light emitting devices 1A, 1B. Accordingly, in the light emitting devices 1A, 1B, the number of reflections of optical multiple reflections in the respective light emitting devices can be reduced, and optical confinement and optical absorption can be suppressed. The optical member preferably has a refractive index approximately similar to or the same as the refractive index of the light transmissive member 10. The material of the adhesive layer ad applied on the support substrate KB can be a photocurable resin for example, and a known adhesive agent can be appropriately employed.
[0062] Further, the configuration of the light emitting device 1C may be those described below. In the light emitting device 1C shown in
[0063] In the case where a resin and/or a white scattering material (titania or the like) contained in the reflecting material 50 absorbs the light from the light emitting element 2, the portions of the light transmissive member 10 are preferably covered with both the reflecting layer 11 and a reflecting material 50 than only with the reflecting material 50 shown in
[0064] Further, as shown in
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0065] Embodiments of the present invention can be utilized for various kinds of light sources, such as illumination light sources, light sources for various kinds of indicators, light sources for automobile use, light sources for displays, back light sources for liquid crystal displays, signals, automobile use, channel control characters for channel boards.
[0066] As described above, it should be obvious that various other embodiments are possible without departing the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope and spirit of the present invention should be limited only by the following claims.