Semiconductor composite apparatus, method for manufacturing the semiconductor composite apparatus, LED head that employs the semiconductor composite apparatus, and image forming apparatus that employs the LED head

Abstract

A semiconductor composite apparatus includes a semiconductor thin film layer and a substrate. The semiconductor thin film layer and the substrate are bonded to each other with a layer of an alloy of a high-melting-point metal and a low-melting-point metal formed between the semiconductor thin film layer and the substrate. The alloy has a higher melting point than the low-melting-point metal. The layer of the alloy contains a product resulting from a reaction of the low-melting-point metal and a material of said semiconductor thin film layer.

1 . A semiconductor composite apparatus comprising: 
 a semiconductor thin film layer; and    a substrate;    wherein said semiconductor thin film layer and said substrate are bonded to each other with a layer of an alloy of a high-melting-point metal and a low-melting-point metal formed between said semiconductor thin film layer and said substrate.    
     
     
         2 . The semiconductor composite apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the alloy has a higher melting point than said low-melting-point metal.  
     
     
         3 . The semiconductor composite apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the layer of the alloy contains a product resulting from a reaction of the low-melting-point metal and a material of said semiconductor thin film layer.  
     
     
         4 . The semiconductor composite apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the alloy includes a chemical element from which the semiconductor thin film is made and one of the group consisting of Au x In y , Pd x In y , and Ni x In y .  
     
     
         5 . The semiconductor composite apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the layer of the alloy contains one of Au x In y , Pd x In y , and Ni x In y .  
     
     
         6 . A semiconductor composite apparatus comprising: 
 a substrate;    a semiconductor thin film;    a high-melting-point metal layer provided between said semiconductor thin film and said substrate; and    a reaction region resulting from a reaction between a low-melting-point metal and a portion of said high-melting-point metal layer, said reaction region being formed between the high-melting-point metal layer and said semiconductor thin film;    wherein said substrate and said semiconductor thin film are bonded to each other with said high-melting-point metal layer and said reaction region formed between said substrate and said semiconductor thin film.    
     
     
         7 . The semiconductor composite apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said reaction region contains a product resulting from the reaction between the low-melting-point metal and a material that forms said semiconductor thin film.  
     
     
         8 . The semiconductor composite apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said reaction region is one of Au x In y , Pd x In y , and Ni x In y .  
     
     
         9 . A semiconductor composite apparatus comprising: 
 a substrate;    a semiconductor thin film;    a first metal layer formed between said substrate and said semiconductor thin film, said first metal layer being formed of a low-melting-point metal and a high-melting-point metal;    a second metal layer formed between said semiconductor thin film and said first metal layer, said second metal layer providing adhesion to said semiconductor thin film to minimize a contact resistance between the metal layer and the surface of the semiconductor thin film  806 ; and    a reaction region resulting from a reaction between said first metal layer and said second metal layer;    wherein said first metal layer contains a reaction region resulting from a reaction between the low-melting-point metal and the high-melting-point metal.    
     
     
         10 . The semiconductor composite apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said first metal layer contains one of Au x In y , Pd x In y , and Ni x In y .  
     
     
         11 . A semiconductor composite apparatus comprising: 
 a substrate containing a first material;    a semiconductor thin film that contains a second material;    a metal layer provided between said substrate and said semiconductor thin film, said metal layer containing at least a low-melting-point metal; and    a reaction product resulting from a reaction between said second material and said metal layer;    wherein said semiconductor thin film and said substrate are bonded to each other with said metal layer and said reaction product positioned between said semiconductor thin film and said substrate.    
     
     
         12 . The semiconductor composite apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said low-melting-point metal is selected from the group consisting of In, Sn, Bi, Ce, and Tl.  
     
     
         13 . The semiconductor composite apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said high-melting-point metal is selected from the group consisting of Au, Pd, and Ni.  
     
     
         14 . The semiconductor composite apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said high second metal layer is selected from the group consisting of Ti, Ni, Ge, Al, Au, NiGe, and AuGeNi.  
     
     
         15 . The semiconductor composite apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said semiconductor thin film contains AlGaAs and comprises a layer formed of GaAs, the layer of GaAs being in contact with another layer of another metal.  
     
     
         16 . The semiconductor composite apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said semiconductor thin film contains AlGaInP and comprises a layer formed of GaAs, the layer of GaAs being in contact with another layer of another metal.  
     
     
         17 . The semiconductor composite apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said semiconductor thin film contains a nitride semiconductor.  
     
     
         18 . The semiconductor composite apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said layer that contains a low-melting-point metal contains at least one low-melting-point metal.  
     
     
         19 . The semiconductor composite apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said layer that contains a low-melting-point metal contains at least one layer.  
     
     
         20 . The semiconductor composite apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said semiconductor thin film layer includes light emitting elements formed therein.  
     
     
         21 . An LED head incorporating said semiconductor composite apparatus according to claims  1 , comprising: 
 an optical system that adjusts light emitted from the semiconductor composite apparatus.    
     
     
         22 . An image forming apparatus incorporating said LED head according to  claim 21 , comprising a photoconductive body ( 101   a ) that is illuminated by said LED head.  
     
     
         23 . A method of manufacturing a semiconductor composite apparatus comprising the steps of: 
 forming a semiconductor thin film layer;    preparing a substrate that includes a high-melting-point metal layer on its surface and a low-melting-point metal layer formed on the high-melting-point metal layer;    placing the semiconductor thin film layer on the low-melting-point metal layer of the substrate so that semiconductor thin film layer is in intimate contact with the low-melting-point metal layer; and    causing the low-melting-point metal layer to melt at a temperature higher than a melting point of the low-melting-point metal layer but lower than a melting point of the high-melting-point metal layer, the temperature being such that the semiconductor thin film layer is not affected.    
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein said forming a semiconductor thin film comprising forming a high-melting-point metal layer that is in intimate contact with the low-melting-point metal layer of the substrate.