Light emitting diode and method of making the same

Abstract

A light emitting diode (LED) and a method of making the same are disclosed. The LED of the present invention comprises a semiconductor layer of a first polarity, an active layer, and a semiconductor layer of a second polarity stacked from bottom to up, wherein at least the active layer and the semiconductor layer of the second polarity have a side of irregular shape and/or at least one valley, thereby increasing the efficiency of emitting the light to the outside of the LED.

1 . A light emitting diode (LED), comprising: 
 a semiconductor layer of a first polarity;    an active layer, located on the semiconductor layer of the first polarity; and    a semiconductor layer of a second polarity, located on the active layer, wherein at least one side of at least the active layer and the semiconductor layer of the second polarity is of irregular shape, thereby reducing the probability of reflecting the light emitted from the active layer, thus making light emitted from the active layer penetrate through the at least one side and be emitted outside the LED.    
   
   
       2 . The LED according to  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor layer of the first polarity is made of GaN.  
   
   
       3 . The LED according to  claim 1 , wherein the active layer is made of InGaN.  
   
   
       4 . The LED according to  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor layer of the second polarity is made of GaN.  
   
   
       5 . The LED according to  claim 1 ,wherein the shape of the at least one side is selected from a group consisting of triangle, semicircle, and parabola.  
   
   
       6 . The LED according to claim 1 ,wherein a deformed dimension of the at least one side is greater than an equivalent emitting wavelength of the LED.  
   
   
       7 . The LED according to  claim 1 , wherein an incident angle of the light emitted from the active layer to the at least one side is less than a reflective critical angle of the at least one side.  
   
   
       8 . The LED according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the active layer and the semiconductor layer of the second polarity therein further have at least one valley penetrating from an upper surface of the semiconductor layer of the second polarity to a lower surface of the active layer, thereby increasing an efficiency of emitting the light emitted from the active layer to the outside of the LED.  
   
   
       9 . The LED according to  claim 8 , further comprising a substrate located under the semiconductor layer of the first polarity, wherein the at least one valley further reaches to an upper surface of the substrate.  
   
   
       10 . The LED according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one side is formed by reactive ion etching (RIE).  
   
   
       11 - 40 . (Canceled).  
   
   
       41 . A light emitting diode (LED), comprising: 
 a semiconductor layer of a first polarity;    an active layer, located on the semiconductor layer of the first polarity; and    a semiconductor layer of a second polarity, located on the active layer, wherein at least one side of at least the active layer and the semiconductor layer of the second polarity has an uneven surface, thereby reducing the probability of reflecting the light emitted from the active layer, thus making light emitted from the active layer penetrate through the at least one side and be emitted outside the LED.    
   
   
       42 . (Canceled).  
   
   
       43 . The LED according to  claim 41 , wherein the uneven surface of the at least one side in a top view of the LED is selected from a group consisting of triangle, semicircle, and parabola.  
   
   
       44 . The LED according to  claim 41 , wherein a deformed dimension of the at least one side is greater than en equivalent emitting wavelength of the LED.  
   
   
       45 . The LED according to  claim 41 , wherein an incident angle of the light emitted from the active layer to the at least one side is less than a reflective critical angle of the at least one side.  
   
   
       46 . The LED according to claim, wherein the at least one side is formed by reactive ion etching (RIE).  
   
   
       47 . The LED according to  claim 41 , wherein at least the active layer and the semiconductor layer of the second polarity therein have at least one valley penetrating from an upper surface of the semiconductor layer of the second polarity to a lower surface of the active layer.  
   
   
       48 . The LED according to  claim 46 , further comprising a substrate located under the semiconductor layer of the first polarity, wherein the at least one valley further reaches to an upper surface of the substrate.  
   
   
       49 . The LED according to  claim 41 , wherein the semiconductor layer of the first polarity is made of GaN.  
   
   
       50 . The LED according to  claim 41 , wherein the active layer is made of InGaN.  
   
   
       51 . The LED according to  claim 41 , wherein the semiconductor of the second polarity is made of GaN.