Semiconductor component which emits radiation, and method for producing the same

Abstract

This invention describes a radiation-emitting semiconductor component with the a multilayered structure that contains a radiation-emitting active layer, and a window transparent to radiation that has a first principal face and a second principal face opposite the first principal face, and whose first principal face adjoins the multilayered structure. At least one recess is made in the window, which preferably has the form of an indentation of the second principal face or as an edge excavation. At least one lateral surface of the window or of the recess is provided at least partially with a contact surface. Alternatively or cumulatively, at least one contact surface of the component has a plurality of openings.

1 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component with a multilayered structure that contains a radiation-emitting active layer, and a window transparent to radiation that has a first principal face and a second principal face opposite the first principal face, and whose first principal face adjoins the multilayered structure, with the window having at least one recess to form radiation-output surfaces running at an angle to the first principal face, characterized by the fact that at least one lateral face of the window and/or of the recess adjoining the second principal face is provided, at least in part, with a first contact surface.  
   
   
       2 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that at least one of the contact surfaces has a plurality of openings.  
   
   
       3 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component with a multilayered structure that contains a radiation-emitting active layer, and a window transparent to radiation that has a first principal face and a second principal face opposite the first principal face and that adjoins the multilayered structure, with the window having at least one recess forming radiation-output surfaces at an angle to the first principal face, characterized by the fact that the multilayered structure is provided at least partially with a contact surface that has a plurality of openings.  
   
   
       4 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 3 , 
 characterized by the fact that the second principal face and/or at least one lateral face of the window and/or of the recess adjoining the second principal face is provided at least partially with another contact surface.    
   
   
       5 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 4 , 
 characterized by the fact that the other contact surface has a plurality of openings.    
   
   
       6 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component with a multilayered structure that contains a radiation-emitting active layer, and a window transparent to radiation that has a first principal face and a second principal face opposite the first principal face and whose first principal face adjoins the multilayered structure, with the window having at least one recess forming radiation-output surfaces at an angle to the first principal face, characterized by the fact that the second principal face is provided at least partially with a contact surface that has a plurality of openings.  
   
   
       7 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 6 , 
 characterized by the fact that the contact surface also covers at least partially a lateral face of the window and/or of the recess adjoining the second principal face.    
   
   
       8 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 6 , characterized by the fact that the multilayered structure is provided at least partially with another contact surface.  
   
   
       9 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 8 , 
 characterized by the fact that the other contact surface has a plurality of openings.    
   
   
       10 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 2 , 
 characterized by the fact that at last some of the openings are circular, square, rectangular, hexagonal, or in the form of crossed slits.    
   
   
       11 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 2 , characterized by the fact that the openings are arranged regularly, at least in subregions of the contact surfaces.  
   
   
       12 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 2 , characterized by the fact that the openings consist of crossed slits and are arranged at least in subregions of the contact surfaces with maximum packing density, with the distance between the openings being no smaller than the arm width of the crossed slits.  
   
   
       13 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that the second principal face of the window has a plurality of indentations.  
   
   
       14 . Method for manufacturing a radiation-emitting semiconductor component with a multilayered structure that contains a radiation-emitting active layer, and a window transparent to radiation that has a first principal face and a second principal face opposite the first principal face, and whose first principal face adjoins the multilayered structure, with at least one recess being formed in the window and with at least one lateral surfaces of the window and/or or the recess being provided at least partially with a first contact surface, characterized by the steps 
 preparation of a window layer with a first principal face and a second principal face opposite the first principal face    application of a semiconductor layer sequence to the first principal face of the window layer    structuring the window layer, with at least one recess being produced in the second principal face    production of a contact surface on the side of the second principal face of the window layer,    completion of the semiconductor component.    
   
   
       15 . Method pursuant to  claim 14 , characterized by the fact that 
 the contact surface is contact metallization produced by vapor deposition.    
   
   
       16 . Method pursuant to  claim 15 , characterized by the fact that 
 a vapor-deposition source with a preferential direction is used for vapor deposition, and the window layer to be subjected to vapor deposition is positioned at an angle to this preferential direction.    
   
   
       17 . Method pursuant to  claim 14 , characterized by the fact that the semiconductor layer sequence is applied epitaxially to the window layer.  
   
   
       18 . Method pursuant to  claim 14 ,characterized by the fact that the semiconductor layer sequence is applied to the window layer by a wafer-bonding method.  
   
   
       19 . Method pursuant to  claim 14 , characterized by the fact that the process steps are carried out in the order 
 1. application of a semiconductor layer sequence,    2. structuring of the second principal face,    3. production of the contact surface.    
   
   
       20 . Method pursuant to  claim 14 , characterized by the fact that 
 the process steps are carried out in the order 
 1. structuring of the second principal face,  
 2. production of the contact surface,  
 3. application of the semiconductor layer sequence.  
   
   
   
       21 . Method pursuant to  claim 14 , characterized by the fact that 
 the process steps are carried out in the order 
 1. prestructuring of the second principal face,  
 2. production of the contact surface,  
 3. application of the semiconductor layer sequence,  
 4. final structuring of the second principal face.  
   
   
   
       22 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component with a multilayered structure that contains a radiation-emitting active layer, and a window transparent to radiation that is positioned exclusively on the side of the multilayered structure facing away from a principal direction of radiation of the semiconductor component and has at least one lateral wall that has a lateral wall section that is inclined, concave, or stepped relative to a mid-axis of the semiconductor body perpendicular to the multilayered structure, which changes to a second lateral wall section perpendicular to the multilayered structure, i.e. parallel to the mid-axis, in its further extension toward the back when viewed from the multilayered structure, with the part of the window encircling the second lateral wall section constituting a mounting base for the semiconductor component, characterized by the fact that 
 the multilayered structure is provided at least partially with a contact surface that has a plurality of openings.    
   
   
       23 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 22 , characterized by the fact that the window is made from the epitaxy substrate used for the epitaxial growth of the multilayered structure.  
   
   
       24 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 22 , 
 characterized by the fact that the refractive index of the material of the window is greater than the refractive index of the material of the multilayered structure, particularly of the active layer.    
   
   
       25 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to claims  22 , characterized by the fact that the window consists of silicon carbide or is based on silicon carbide, and the multilayered sequence is made of semiconductor materials based on nitride.  
   
   
       26 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 25 , characterized by the fact that the multilayered sequence is made of material based on gallium nitride.  
   
   
       27 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 26 , characterized by the fact that the multilayered sequence contains at least one of the compounds Al 1-x Ga x N, 0≦x≦1, In 1-x Ga x N, 0≦x≦1, In 1-x Al x N, 0≦x≦1, and Al 1-x-y In x Ga y N, 0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1.  
   
   
       28 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 22 , characterized by the fact that all of the lateral faces of the window have a first lateral wall section and a second lateral wall section.  
   
   
       29 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 22 , characterized by the fact that the first lateral wall section is a planar inclined surface that makes an angle with the mid-axis that is between 20° and 30° inclusive.  
   
   
       30 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 25 , characterized by the fact that the semiconductor component has a square lateral cross section, all four lateral flanks of the window have a planar inclined first lateral wall section, with the ratio of the edge length of the multilayered structure to the edge length of the mounting base being between 1.5 and 2 inclusive, and with special preference being 1.35.  
   
   
       31 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 22 , characterized by the fact that at least the first lateral wall section is roughened.  
   
   
       32 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 22 , characterized by the fact that the openings are circular, square, rectangular, hexagonal, or in the form of crossed slits.  
   
   
       33 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 22 , characterized by the fact that the openings are arranged regularly at least in subregions of the contact surface.  
   
   
       34 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 22 , characterized by the fact that the openings are crossed slits, and are arranged with maximum packing density at least in subregions of the contact surfaces, with the distance between the openings being no smaller than the arm width of the crossed slits.  
   
   
       35 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 22 , characterized by the fact that the contact surface is made as a reflective contact metallization.  
   
   
       36 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 22 , characterized by the fact that the contact surface is transparent to radiation.  
   
   
       37 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 22 , characterized by the fact that the contact surfaces contain silver, gold, nickel, preferably platinum or palladium, or an alloy of these metals.  
   
   
       38 . Radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 22 , characterized by the fact that the contact surfaces have a thickness between 5 nm and 200 nm, preferably between 10 nm and 100 nm.  
   
   
       39 . Radiation-emitting optical component with a radiation-emitting semiconductor component pursuant to  claim 22 , characterized by the fact that the optical component has a reflector trough with inclined or parabolic lateral walls in which the semiconductor component is mounted so that the window layer faces the bottom of the reflector trough.  
   
   
       40 . Radiation-emitting optical component pursuant to  claim 39 , characterized by the fact that 
 the lateral walls of the reflector trough are coated with material that increases reflection.    
   
   
       41 . Radiation-emitting optical component pursuant to  claim 39 , characterized by the fact that the lateral walls of the reflector trough are designed so that the radiation emitted from the semiconductor component toward the back is reflected upward from the inclined lateral walls in one and the same direction to the greatest possible extent to the active layer.