Light Emitting Semiconductor Device

Abstract

A light emitting semiconductor device includes at least one light emitting semiconductor chip having a semiconductor layer sequence, a light outcoupling surface, a rear face on an opposite side of the semiconductor layer sequence from the light outcoupling surface, and side faces which connect the light outcoupling surface and the rear face. The light emitting semiconductor device further includes a carrier body, having a molded body which covers the side faces of the at least one light emitting semiconductor chip directly and in a positively-locking manner. The carrier body comprises, at the light outcoupling surface of the at least one light emitting semiconductor chip, a top face on which a dielectric mirror is disposed. At least part of the light outcoupling surface is uncovered by the dielectric mirror.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. A light emitting semiconductor device comprising: at least one light emitting semiconductor chip having a semiconductor layer sequence, a light outcoupling surface, a rear face on an opposite side of the semiconductor layer sequence from the light outcoupling surface, and side faces which connect the light outcoupling surface and the rear face; and a carrier body, having a molded body which covers the side faces of the at least one light emitting semiconductor chip directly and in a positively-locking manner; wherein the carrier body comprises, at the light outcoupling surface of the at least one light emitting semiconductor chip, a top face on which a dielectric mirror is disposed, wherein at least part of the light outcoupling surface is uncovered by the dielectric mirror.

19. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the dielectric mirror comprises at least one inorganic dielectric material.

20. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the dielectric mirror a Bragg mirror comprising a periodic sequence of at least two dielectric layers having different refractive indices.

21. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 18, further comprising an electrical semiconductor component arranged in the carrier body and beside the at least one light emitting semiconductor chip, wherein the electrical semiconductor component has side faces to which the molded body is directly attached in a positively-locking manner.

22. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the electrical semiconductor component is a protection diode.

23. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the electrical semiconductor component is arranged under the dielectric mirror and is covered by the dielectric mirror.

24. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 21, further comprising an electrical connecting element arranged on the top face of the carrier body, wherein the electrical connecting element electrically connects the light outcoupling surface of the at least one light emitting semiconductor chip and a top face of the electrical semiconductor component.

25. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the electrical connecting element is a metallic layer.

26. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the at least one light emitting semiconductor chip comprises an electrical contact element on the light outcoupling surface, wherein the electrical semiconductor component comprises a corresponding electrical contact element on the top face of the electrical semiconductor component and wherein the contact element of the at least one light emitting semiconductor chip and the corresponding electrical contact element of the electrical semiconductor component are electrically connected by the electrical connecting element.

27. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the electrical connecting element is arranged between the dielectric mirror and the carrier body.

28. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 27, wherein the electrical connecting element encloses the at least one light emitting semiconductor chip in a lateral direction.

29. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the electrical connecting element is arranged on the dielectric mirror as viewed from the carrier body.

30. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the electrical connecting element is electrically connected to the top face of the electrical semiconductor component and to the light outcoupling surface of the light emitting semiconductor chip by electrical vias extending through the dielectric mirror.

31. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the light outcoupling surface is free of coverage by the molded body.

32. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the dielectric mirror covers the entire top face of the carrier body.

33. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 18, wherein a wavelength conversion element is arranged on the light outcoupling surface.

34. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 33, wherein the dielectric mirror encloses the wavelength conversion element in a lateral direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Further advantages, advantageous embodiments and developments appear in the embodiments described below in connection with the figures, in which:

[0033] FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams of views of a light emitting semiconductor device according to one embodiment; and

[0034] FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic diagrams of views of a light emitting semiconductor device according to another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0035] In each of the exemplified embodiments and figures, the same reference numbers may be used to denote identical, similar or equivalent elements. The elements shown and the relative sizes thereof shall not be considered to be to scale. Indeed, individual elements such as layers, component, devices and regions, for example, may be shown exaggeratedly large in order to improve visualization and/or understanding.

[0036] FIGS. 1A and 1B show an exemplified embodiment of a light emitting semiconductor device 101. FIG. 1A shows a cross-sectional view through the light emitting semiconductor device 101, whereas FIG. 1B shows a plan view of part of the light emitting semiconductor device 101.

[0037] The light emitting semiconductor device 101 comprises at least one light emitting semiconductor chip 1, which is designed to generate light during operation. For this purpose, the light emitting semiconductor chip 1 comprises a semiconductor layer sequence containing an active region, in which light is generated when current is injected into the light emitting semiconductor chip. The light emitting semiconductor chip 1 also comprises a light outcoupling surface 10, via which is emitted the light generated during operation. On the opposite side from the light outcoupling surface 10 is disposed a rear face ii of the light emitting semiconductor chip 1. The light outcoupling surface 10 and the rear face ii form two main surfaces of the light emitting semiconductor chip 1, which are connected together via side faces 12. In terms of the semiconductor layer sequence and also, for instance, in terms of a substrate, the light emitting semiconductor chip 1 can be designed as described above in the general part.

[0038] In the embodiment shown, a wavelength conversion element 2 is arranged on the light outcoupling surface 10 of the light emitting semiconductor chip 1, which element is designed to convert some of the light generated in the light emitting semiconductor chip 1 during operation into light of a different wavelength. This allows the light emitting semiconductor device 101 to emit mixed-color light such as white light, for instance, during operation. As an alternative to the embodiment shown, a wavelength conversion element can also be absent from the light outcoupling surface 10. Moreover, it is also possible that in addition or as an alternative to a wavelength conversion element 2, one or more optical elements such as a diffuser layer or a lens, for example, are arranged on the light outcoupling surface.

[0039] The light emitting semiconductor device 101 also comprises a carrier body 3, which comprises a molded body 4, which covers the side faces 12 of the light emitting semiconductor chip 1 directly in a form-fit. The molded body 4 can be molded onto the light emitting semiconductor chip 1 by a molding process described above in the general part, and can comprise, for example, a silicone, an epoxy or another material mentioned above in the general part. In the embodiment shown, the molded body 4 and hence the carrier body 3 have a height that equals the height of the light emitting semiconductor chip 1, with the result that a top face 30 of the carrier body 3 at the light outcoupling surface 10 of the light emitting semiconductor chip 1 is flush with said surface. Alternatively, the top face 30 of the carrier body 3 can also be arranged above or below the light outcoupling surface 10 of the light emitting semiconductor chip 1. In other words, the carrier body 3 can have a greater or smaller height than the light emitting semiconductor chip 1, wherein the molded body 4 does not cover the light outcoupling surface 10.

[0040] A dielectric mirror 5, which comprises an inorganic dielectric material, is applied to the top face 30 of the carrier body 3. In particular, the dielectric mirror 5 comprises at least two dielectric layers 50, 51 and, in the embodiment shown, has a periodic sequence of at least two dielectric layers 50, 51 having different refractive indices. Thus the dielectric mirror 5 is embodied as what is known as a Bragg mirror, in which the thickness and material of the individual dielectric layers 50, 51 are selected so as to achieve in combination a maximum possible reflectivity for the light generated in the light emitting semiconductor chip 1 during operation. The dielectric layers 50, 51 of the dielectric mirror 5 can comprise, for example, one or more materials selected from silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide and tantalum oxide.

[0041] The dielectric mirror 5 in particular is arranged over a large area on the top face 30 of the carrier body 3 and encloses the light outcoupling surface 10 of the light emitting semiconductor chip 1 in a lateral direction. In particular, the dielectric mirror 5 can even extend as far as the wavelength conversion element 2 and enclose this element in a lateral direction, as shown in FIG. 1A. Thus at least part of the light outcoupling surface 10 of the light emitting semiconductor chip 1 is clear of, and uncovered by, the dielectric mirror 5. The dielectric mirror 5 can comprise an opening, which is arranged over the light outcoupling surface 10 and through which at least part of the light outcoupling surface 10, or of the wavelength conversion element 2, if present, can be seen when looking onto said surface. In addition, the entire light outcoupling surface 10 of the entire wavelength conversion element 2 can also be clear of the dielectric mirror 5, with the result that the opening in the dielectric mirror 5 has at least an identical or larger cross-section compared with the light outcoupling surface 10 or the wavelength conversion element 2.

[0042] The light emitting semiconductor device 101 also comprises an electrical semiconductor component 6 in the carrier body 3, which like the light emitting semiconductor chip 1 is enclosed by the molded body 4 of the carrier body 3. For this purpose, the molded body 4 is molded onto the electrical semiconductor component 6 as it is onto the light emitting semiconductor chip 1, and covers the side faces 62 of the electrical semiconductor component 6 directly in a positively-locking manner. The electrical semiconductor component 6 in particular is in the form of a protection diode, preferably an ESD protection diode.

[0043] In order to make electrical contact with the rear sides 11, 61 of the light emitting semiconductor chip 1 and of the electrical semiconductor component 6, electrical contact elements 13, 63 are applied thereto, which elements moreover may also cover parts of the carrier body 3. Further electrical contact elements 13, 63 are present on the light outcoupling surface 10 and on a top face 60 of the electrical semiconductor component 6. These elements are connected in an electrically conducting manner by means of an electrical connecting element 7, which is arranged on the top face 30 of the carrier body 3. In particular, in the embodiment shown, the electrical connecting element 7, which is in the form of a metallic layer, is arranged underneath the dielectric mirror 5, i.e. between the carrier body 3 and the dielectric mirror 5. In this regard, FIG. 1B shows a plan view of the light outcoupling surface 10 of the light emitting semiconductor chip 1 and of the top face 30 of the carrier body 3, in which view the dielectric mirror 5 is not shown, and therefore the electrical connecting element 7 appears as the topmost layer. Dashed lines are used to indicate elements which lie underneath the electrical connecting element 7 and are hence not visible.

[0044] As is clear in particular from FIG. 1B, the electrical connecting element 7 preferably covers as large an area as possible of the top face 30 of the carrier body 3, allowing a further increase in the total reflectivity in conjunction with the dielectric mirror 5. The electrical connecting element 7 in particular can be arranged entirely underneath the dielectric mirror 5 and in this case, as shown in FIG. 1B, can be set back from an edge region of the carrier body 3, for example, with the result that the electrical connecting element 7 can be protected from gases in the environment by the dielectric mirror 5.

[0045] In order to make electrical contact with the top face of the light emitting semiconductor device, i.e. in particular with the electrical contact element 7 on the light outcoupling surface 10 of the light emitting semiconductor chip 1, the electrical connecting element 7 can also protrude in a subregion below the dielectric mirror 5. In addition, for example, another electrical connecting element can be present on the dielectric mirror 5, which element is connected in an electrically conducting manner to the electrical connecting element 7 by means of a via through the dielectric mirror 5.

[0046] FIGS. 2A and 2B show another embodiment of a light emitting semiconductor device 102, which illustrates a modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 1A and 1B. The following description is therefore largely confined to the differences with respect to the previous embodiment.

[0047] The light emitting semiconductor device 102 in the embodiment of FIGS. 2A and 2B, unlike the light emitting semiconductor device 101 in the previous embodiment, comprises an electrical connecting element 7 that is arranged on the dielectric mirror 5, with the result that the dielectric mirror 5 is formed between the carrier body 3 and the electrical connecting element 7. In order to make electrical contact with the light emitting semiconductor chip 1 and the electrical semiconductor component 6, electrical vias 8 are present, which extend through the dielectric mirror 5 and which, in conjunction with the electrical connecting element 7, connect together in an electrically conducting manner the electrical contact elements 13, 63 on the light outcoupling surface 10 of the light emitting semiconductor chip 1 and on the top face 60 of the electrical semiconductor component 6. In this case it is particularly advantageous if the electrical connecting element 7 in the form of a metallic layer has a minimum possible surface area, as is shown in particular in the plan view in FIG. 2B, which unlike the plan view in FIG. 1B shows a plan view of the light emitting semiconductor device 102 including dielectric mirror 5. It can be seen particularly clearly here that the dielectric mirror 5 encloses the wavelength conversion element 2 in a lateral direction and covers as large an area as possible on the carrier body 3.

[0048] The embodiments shown in the figures can additionally or alternatively comprise further features described above in the general part.

[0049] The description based on the disclosed embodiments has no limiting effect on the invention. Instead, the invention includes every novel feature and every combination of features, which in particular includes every combination of features in the claims, even if this feature or combination is not itself explicitly mentioned in the claims or embodiments.