Method for Manufacturing an Optoelectronic Light Emitting Device

Abstract

In an embodiment a method includes arranging a first semiconductor wafer above a carrier, wherein the first semiconductor wafer includes a plurality of first semiconductor optoelectronic components, separating a plurality of the first components from the first semiconductor wafer by laser radiation so that the first components fall onto the carrier and attaching the first components separated from the first semiconductor wafer to the carrier, wherein regions of the first semiconductor wafer between adjacent first components are thinned and the first components are covered with a passivation layer before the first components are separated from the first semiconductor wafer.

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. A method for manufacturing an optoelectronic light emitting device, the method comprising: arranging a first semiconductor wafer above a carrier, wherein the first semiconductor wafer comprises a plurality of first semiconductor optoelectronic components; separating the first components from the first semiconductor wafer by laser radiation so that the first components fall onto the carrier; and attaching the first components separated from the first semiconductor wafer to the carrier, wherein regions of the first semiconductor wafer between adjacent first components are thinned and the first components are covered with a passivation layer before the first components are separated from the first semiconductor wafer.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first optoelectronic semiconductor components are μLEDs.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: placing solder bumps on the carrier; heating the solder bumps before separating the first components from the first semiconductor wafer; and fixing the first components fallen onto the carrier to the carrier by the heated solder bumps.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein each first component comprises contact pads, wherein the first semiconductor wafer is arranged above the carrier such that the contact pads face the carrier, and wherein the solder bumps connect the contact pads of the first components fallen onto the carrier to the carrier.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the carrier comprises a wiring layer to which the first components when fallen onto the carrier are electrically coupled.

19. The method according to claim 14, further comprising, after arranging the first semiconductor wafer above the carrier, generating a negative pressure in a space between the first semiconductor wafer and the carrier.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the carrier comprises through holes through which air is pumped from the space between the first semiconductor wafer and the carrier to create the negative pressure.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein the carrier comprises carrier pillars and/or carrier walls on which the first semiconductor wafer is placed.

22. The method according to claim 14, further comprising: arranging a second semiconductor wafer above the carrier, wherein the second semiconductor wafer comprise a plurality of second optoelectronic semiconductor components; separating a plurality of the second components from the second semiconductor wafer by laser radiation and fall onto said carrier; and attaching the second components separated from the second semiconductor wafer to the carrier.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the first components are configured to emit light of a first color and the second components are configured to emit light of a second color.

24. The method according to claim 14, wherein the carrier is a further semiconductor wafer.

25. The method according to claim 14, wherein the optoelectronic light emitting device is a display.

26. A method for manufacturing an optoelectronic light emitting device, the method comprising: arranging a semiconductor wafer above a carrier, wherein the semiconductor wafer comprises a plurality of optoelectronic semiconductor components; generating a negative pressure in a space between the semiconductor wafer and the carrier after arranging the semiconductor wafer above the carrier, wherein the carrier comprises through holes through which air is pumped from the space between the semiconductor wafer and the carrier to generate the negative pressure; separating the components from the semiconductor wafer by laser radiation so that the components fall onto the carrier; and attaching the components separated from the semiconductor wafer to the carrier.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] In the following, embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a semiconductor wafer with multiple optoelectronic semiconductor components;

[0032] FIGS. 2A to 2C show a method for manufacturing a carrier for an optoelectronic light emitting device; and

[0033] FIGS. 3A and 3B show a method for manufacturing an optoelectronic light emitting device using the semiconductor wafer of FIG. 1 and the carrier of FIG. 2C.

[0034] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this description and in which specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced are shown for illustrative purposes. Since components of embodiments may be positioned in a number of different orientations, the directional terminology is for illustrative purposes and is not limiting in any way. It is understood that other embodiments may be used and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of protection. It is understood that the features of the various embodiments described herein may be combined with each other, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be construed in a limiting sense. In the figures, identical or similar elements are provided with identical reference signs where appropriate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a section of a semiconductor wafer 10 in cross-section with a plurality of optoelectronic semiconductor components, which in the present embodiment are formed as LEDs 11, in particular as μLEDs. In FIG. 1, two LEDs 11 are shown as an example. In FIG. 1, the LEDs 11 are located in the wafer compound of the semiconductor wafer 10 on which the LEDs 11 are grown.

[0036] In the present embodiment, the semiconductor wafer 10 is a sapphire wafer on which the LEDs 11 are manufactured in a flip-chip configuration, i.e., the LEDs 11 can be mounted directly with their contact surfaces or contact pads 12 on a carrier in a subsequent process step without the need for further connecting wires, in particular bonding wires, for contacting.

[0037] The semiconductor wafer 11 comprises, among other things, a sapphire layer 13, i.e., a layer of Al.sub.2O.sub.3, and a layer 14 of GaN. The GaN layer 14 is etched down to the sapphire layer 13 between adjacent LEDs 11. The GaN layer 14 is then covered with a passivation layer 15, leaving the contact pads 12 of the LEDs 11 exposed. In the present embodiment, the contact pads 12 are made of gold and serve to make electrical contact with the p or n terminals of the respective LED 11.

[0038] In a further step, the backside of the semiconductor wafer 11, i.e. the sapphire layer 13, is sufficiently thinned and polished.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a silicon wafer 20, which is to serve as a carrier for the LEDs 11. Active and/or passive components may be integrated into the silicon wafer 20, which are not shown in FIG. 2A. Furthermore, the silicon wafer 20 may comprise one or more wiring layer(s) also not shown in FIG. 2A.

[0040] Holes 21 formed as blind holes are first etched into the backside of the silicon wafer 20, with the holes 21 occupying only a small portion of the backside of the silicon wafer 20.

[0041] In the next step, shown in FIG. 2B, the front side of the silicon wafer 20 is etched. However, the edge region 22 and support pillars 23 or support walls remain. As an example, one of the support pillars 23 is shown in FIG. 2B. The function of the support pillars 23 is explained further below.

[0042] The front side of the silicon wafer 20 is etched to such an extent that the holes 20 are exposed at the front side and, in addition, the edge region 22 and the support pillars 20 have a defined height, for example 20 μm. The holes 20 are consequently formed into through holes in the step shown in FIG. 2B. The support pillars 20 occupy only a small portion of the front side of the silicon wafer 20.

[0043] In the next step, shown in FIG. 2C, a passivation layer 24 of SiO.sub.2 and solder bumps 25 are applied to the front side of the silicon wafer 20. The solder bumps 25 are placed on contact pads of the silicon wafer 20.

[0044] FIGS. 3A and 3B schematically show the manufacturing of an optoelectronic light emitting device in the form of at least part of a display from the semiconductor wafer 10 shown in FIG. 1 and the silicon wafer 20 shown in FIG. 2C.

[0045] The semiconductor wafer 10 or the sapphire layer 13 of the semiconductor wafer 10 is placed on the edge region 22 and/or the supporting pillars 23 of the silicon wafer 20 in such a way that the contact pads 12 of the LEDs 11 point in the direction of the silicon wafer 20. Due to the predetermined height of the edge region 22 and the supporting pillars 23, the distance between the LEDs 11 integrated in the semiconductor wafer 10 and the silicon wafer 20 can be precisely specified.

[0046] After placing the semiconductor wafer 10 on the edge region 22 and/or the support pillars 23 of the silicon wafer 20, either the entire chamber in which the semiconductor wafer 10 and the silicon wafer 20 are located is evacuated or only a negative pressure is created in the space between the semiconductor wafer 10 and the silicon wafer 20 by sucking air through the holes 21 in the silicon wafer 20 by means of a pump. The negative pressure causes a force on the semiconductor wafer 10 in the direction of the silicon wafer 20. The support pillars 23 prevent the semiconductor wafer 10 from bending. Furthermore, the contact pads 12 of the LEDs 11 are not oxidized during subsequent heating and tilting of the separated LEDs ii due to in-flight turbulence is avoided. If the entire chamber is evacuated, for example due to a lack of rigidity of the semiconductor wafer 10, the semiconductor wafer 10 and the silicon wafer 20 can be locked in place by means of a clamp.

[0047] At least the silicon wafer 20 is then heated to the melting temperature of the solder material so that the solder bumps 25 are in a liquid state.

[0048] The semiconductor wafer 10 is positioned above the silicon wafer 20 in lateral direction in such a way that certain LEDs 11 are located directly above a desired positioning on the silicon wafer 20. By means of a focused laser pulse 30, these LEDs 11 are selectively “fired” one after the other and fall onto the silicon wafer 20 due to the force of gravity. The laser pulse 30 heats in particular the epitaxial layer of the respective LEDs 11, whereby the LEDs 11 or LED chips are released from the wafer compound.

[0049] The “launched” LEDs 11 land with their contact pads 12 on the respective solder bumps 25. If necessary, the surface tension of the liquid solder bumps 25 causes the LEDs 11 to be displaced to a desired position after landing.

[0050] Due to the short flight distance, the vacuum and the liquid solder material, the individual LEDs 11 stick to the silicon wafer 20 or are immediately pressed into the liquid solder material by their kinetic energy.

[0051] The solder material then solidifies. The solidified solder material mechanically fixes the LEDs 11 to the silicon wafer 20, which serves as a carrier. In addition, the solder material causes an electrical coupling of the LEDs 11 to the active and/or passive components integrated in the silicon wafer 20.

[0052] After selectively placing LEDs 11, LEDs 31 can be placed on silicon wafer 20 in the same manner. The LEDs 11 and 31 may emit light with different colors. As shown in FIG. 3B, the LEDs 31 can be integrated into a second semiconductor wafer 32, which is arranged above the silicon wafer 20 in the same way as the first semiconductor wafer 10 before, in order to be able to separate the LEDs 31 at the desired locations by means of a focused laser pulse 30 and place them on the silicon wafer 20.

[0053] The method described allows LEDs emitting the primary colors red, green and blue to be sequentially attached to the silicon wafer 20 serving as the carrier. Red light emitting LEDs could be released from the wafer compound, for example, using an infrared (IR) laser and an absorbing GaInNAs layer. On the other hand, GaN could also be used for red light emitting LEDs as soon as available.

[0054] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by means of the preferred embodiment examples, the present invention is not restricted by the disclosed examples and other variations may be derived by the skilled person without exceeding the scope of protection of the invention.