SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND SEMICONDUCTOR MODULE INCLUDING IT

Abstract

A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor stack including a first semiconductor layer, an active region, and a second semiconductor layer; an electrode structure formed on and electrically connected to the semiconductor stack, including a pad electrode structure and a contacting electrode structure formed on the pad electrode structure; and a first insulating structure formed on the pad electrode structure; wherein the electrode structure comprises a first slot set, the first slot set comprising a first slot in the pad electrode structure and a second slot in the contacting electrode structure, the second slot overlapping and corresponding to the first slot in a plan view.

Description

BACKGROUNDTechnical field

[0001] The present application relates to a semiconductor device having an electrode structure with a slot set and a semiconductor module including the same. Description of the related field

[0002] A semiconductor device includes compound semiconductors composed of Group III-V elements such as gallium phosphide (GaP), gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride (GaN), and aluminum nitride (AlN). The semiconductor device may be an optoelectronic semiconductor device such as a light-emitting diode (LED), laser, light detector, solar cell, power devices, or acoustic wave devices. Light-emitting diodes of an optoelectronic semiconductor device have the characteristics of low power consumption, low heat generation, long lifetime, compact size, high response speed, and stable emission wavelength. Thus, light-emitting diodes are widely used in household appliances, indicator lights, and optoelectronic products.

[0003] A conventional light-emitting diode includes a substrate, an n-type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a p-type semiconductor layer formed on the substrate, and a p-type electrode and an n-type electrode formed on the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer, respectively. When a light-emitting diode is conductive via the electrode and operates according to a specific forward voltage, holes from the p-type semiconductor layer and electrons from the n-type semiconductor layer combine in the active layer to emit light. SUMMARY

[0004] A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor stack including a first semiconductor layer, an active region, and a second semiconductor layer; an electrode structure formed on and electrically connected to the semiconductor stack, including a pad electrode structure and a contacting electrode structure formed on the pad electrode structure; and a first insulating structure formed on the pad electrode structure; wherein the electrode structure comprises a first slot set, the first slot set comprising a first slot in the pad electrode structure and a second slot in the contacting electrode structure, the second slot overlapping and corresponding to the first slot in a plan view. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1A shows a plan view of a light-emitting device 1 of an embodiment of the application. Fig. Figure 1B shows a cross-sectional view along the line AA' in Fig. 1A. Fig. Figure 1C shows a cross-sectional view along line BB' in Fig. 1A. Fig. 1D shows a simplified plan view of the Fig. 1A shown light-emitting device 1. Fig. 2A shows a plan view of a light-emitting device 2 of another embodiment of the application. Fig. Figure 2B shows a cross-sectional view along the line AA' in Fig. 2A. Fig. Figure 2C shows a cross-sectional view along line BB' in Fig. 2A. Fig. Figure 2D shows a cross-sectional view along the line CC' in Fig. 2A. Fig. 3A shows a plan view of a light-emitting device 3 of another embodiment of the application. Fig. Figure 3B shows a cross-sectional view along the line AA' in Fig. 3A. Fig. Figure 3C shows a cross-sectional view along line BB' in Fig. 3A. Fig. 4A shows a plan view of a light-emitting device 4 of another embodiment of the application. Fig. Figure 4B shows a cross-sectional view along the line AA' in Fig. 4A. Fig. Figure 4C shows a simplified top view of the light-emitting device 4. Fig. 5A-5D show schematic top views of the pad electrode structure and the contacting electrode structure according to modified embodiments of the application. Fig. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a light-emitting module according to an embodiment of the application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0005] In order to make the description of the present application more detailed and complete, reference is made to the description of the following embodiments and in conjunction with the relevant illustrations. However, the examples shown below are used to illustrate the light-emitting device of the present application, and the present application is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, etc. of the elements described in the embodiments in this application text are not limited to the description, and the scope of the present application is not limited to these, but is merely a description. Furthermore, the size or positional relationship of the elements shown in each figure is exaggerated for clarity of description.Furthermore, in the following description, elements having the same or similar nature are shown with the same designations and reference numerals to conveniently omit detailed descriptions.

[0006] According to some embodiments of the present application, a semiconductor device and a semiconductor module are provided. According to some embodiments, the semiconductor device may be an optoelectronic semiconductor device such as a light-emitting diode (LED), a laser, a light detector, a solar cell, or a power device. The main structure of a semiconductor device includes a buffer layer and a device structure formed on the buffer layer. Depending on the device functions, different device structures may be formed. For example, the device structure of a light-emitting device may be a semiconductor stack including a p-type semiconductor layer, an n-type semiconductor layer, and an active region. The active region may emit light in different wavelength bands according to the material composition.In the following, several embodiments are provided as relevant descriptions of the semiconductor device and the semiconductor module, it being understood that each semiconductor device according to these embodiments is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0007] In Fig. 1A, Fig. 1B and Fig. 1C illustrates an embodiment according to some embodiments that assumes a light-emitting device 1 as the semiconductor device. Fig. 1A shows a plan view of the light-emitting device 1 according to the embodiment of the present application. Fig. Figure 1B shows a cross-sectional view along a line AA' in Fig. 1A.

[0008] Fig. Figure 1C shows a cross-sectional view along a line BB' in Fig. 1A.

[0009] As in Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B, the light-emitting device 1 includes a substrate 10 and a semiconductor stack 12 formed on a top surface 10a of the substrate 10, wherein the semiconductor stack 12 includes a plurality of units, e.g., a first unit C1 and a second unit C2, separated from each other by a trench 36. Each of the units C1 and C2 of the semiconductor stack 12 includes a first semiconductor layer 121 formed on the substrate 10, and a semiconductor mesa including an active region 123 and a second semiconductor layer 122 formed on the first semiconductor layer 121. The semiconductor stack 12 includes recesses exposing a top surface 121a of the first semiconductor layer 121. The top surface 121a is not covered by the semiconductor mesa. According to one embodiment, the recesses are arranged in a peripheral region and / or in a central region of the semiconductor stack 12 in plan view.The recess arranged along the peripheral region surrounds the semiconductor mesa. The recesses arranged in the peripheral region and in the central region may be connected or isolated. However, the present embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0010] The substrate 10 may be a growth substrate. The substrate 10 contains GaAs or GaP for growing an AlGaInP-based semiconductor thereon. The substrate 10 contains Al2O3, GaN, SiC, Si, or AlN for growing an InGaN-based or AlGaN-based semiconductor thereon. According to one embodiment, the substrate 10 may be a patterned substrate; that is, the substrate 10 contains patterned structures (not shown) on the top surface 10a. According to one embodiment, the light generated by the semiconductor stack 12 is refracted, reflected, or scattered by the patterned structures, thereby increasing the brightness of the light-emitting device. Furthermore, the patterned structures reduce or suppress dislocation caused by lattice mismatch between the substrate 10 and the semiconductor stack 12, thereby improving the epitaxial quality of the semiconductor stack 12.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present application, the semiconductor stack 12 is formed on the substrate 10 by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), hybrid vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE), or ion implantation such as sputtering or evaporation.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the semiconductor stack 12 further includes a buffer structure (not shown) between the first semiconductor layer 121 and the substrate 10. The buffer structure 120 reduces lattice mismatch and suppresses dislocation to improve epitaxial quality. The material of the buffer structure includes GaN, AlGaN, or AlN. According to one embodiment, the buffer structure includes multiple sublayers (not shown), wherein the sublayers include the same materials or different materials. According to one embodiment, the buffer structure includes two sublayers formed by different methods. For example, a first sublayer of the buffer structure is grown by sputtering, and a second sublayer of the buffer structure is grown by MOCVD. According to another embodiment, the buffer structure further includes a third sublayer.The third sublayer is grown by MOCVD, wherein the growth temperature of the second sublayer is different from the growth temperature of the third sublayer. According to one embodiment, the first, second, and third sublayers contain the same material, such as AlN. According to one embodiment, the first semiconductor layer 121 and the second semiconductor layer 122 are, for example, cladding layers or confinement layers. The first semiconductor layer 121 and the second semiconductor layer 122 have different conductivity types, different electrical properties, different polarities, or different dopants for providing electrons or holes. For example, the first semiconductor layer 121 is composed of an n-type semiconductor and the second semiconductor layer 122 is composed of a p-type semiconductor.The active region 123 is formed between the first semiconductor layer 121 and the second semiconductor layer 122. When driven by a current, electrons and holes combine in the active region 123 to convert electrical energy into optical energy for illumination. The wavelength of the light generated by the light-emitting device 1 or by the semiconductor stack 12 can be adjusted by changing the physical properties and chemical composition of one or more layers in the semiconductor stack 12.

[0013] The material of the semiconductor stack 12 includes a III-V compound semiconductor such as AlxInyGa(1-xy)N (i.e., AlInGaN base) or AlxInyGa(1-xy)P (i.e., AlInGaP base), where 0 ≤ x, y ≤ 1; x + y ≤ 1. If the material of the semiconductor stack 12 contains an AlInGaP-based material, the semiconductor stack 12 emits red light with a wavelength between 610 nm and 650 nm or yellow light with a wavelength between 550 nm and 570 nm. If the material of the semiconductor stack 12 contains an AlInGaN-based material, the semiconductor stack 12 emits blue light or deep blue light with a wavelength between 400 nm and 490 nm, green light with a wavelength between 490 nm and 550 nm, or UV light with a wavelength between 250 nm and 400 nm. The active region 123 can be a single heterostructure (SH), a double heterostructure (DH), a double-sided double heterostructure (DDH), or a multiple quantum well (MQW) structure.The material of the active region 123 can be an i-, a p- or an n-semiconductor.

[0014] On the upper surface 121a of the first semiconductor layer 121, a first contact structure 20 is formed in the recess, which is electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer 121. According to a Fig. 1A, the first contact structure 20 includes a first contact portion 201 formed on the first semiconductor layer 121 of the first unit C1, and first finger portions 202 formed on the first semiconductor layer 121 of the second unit C2. According to another embodiment, the first contact structure 20 includes the first contact portion 201 and the first finger portion 202 extending from the first contact portion 201. A transparent conductive layer 18 and a second contact structure 30 are formed on the second semiconductor layer 122 and are electrically connected thereto. According to a Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1A, the second contact structure 30 includes a second contact part 301 and second finger parts 302 extending from the second contact part 301 formed on the second unit C2, and further second finger parts 302 formed on the first unit C1. Interconnection structures 60 are separately arranged between the first and second units C1 and C2. The two ends of an interconnection structure 60 are connected to the second finger part 302 on the first unit C1 and to the first finger part 202 on the second unit C2, respectively, so that the units C1 and C2 are electrically connected in series and form a light-emitting arrangement. According to the present application, the number of units of the semiconductor stack 12 and the number of interconnection structures 60 are not limited thereto.The light-emitting device 1 may include more than two units, and more than two interconnects 60 or a single interconnect structure 60 may be formed between two adjacent units. According to another embodiment, the multiple units of the semiconductor stack 12 may be electrically connected in parallel.

[0015] The transparent conductive layer 18 can distribute current and provide good electrical contact, such as ohmic contact, with the second semiconductor layer 122. The transparent conductive layer 18 is transparent to the light emitted from the active region 123. For example, the transparent conductive layer 18 has a transmittance of more than 80% for the light emitted from the active region 123. The material of the transparent conductive layer 18 can be a metal or a transparent conductive material. The metal material includes Au, NiAu, etc. The transparent conductive material includes graphene, ITO, AZO, GZO, ZnO, IZO, and other materials. The materials of the first contact structure 20, the second contact structure 30, and the interconnect structure 60 include a metal such as Cr, Ti, W, Au, Al, Rh, In, Sn, Ni, Pt, Ag, V, and other metals, a layer stack, or an alloy of the above materials.The first contact structure 20, the second contact structure 30, and the interconnect structure 60 may be formed in the same process or in different processes. The first contact structure 20, the second contact structure 30, and the interconnect structure 60 may include the same metal stacks or different metal stacks.

[0016] In the trench 36, a current blocking structure 23 is formed under the connection structures 60, wherein more precisely the current blocking structure 23 covers the upper surface 10a of the substrate 10 in the trench 36 and the opposite sidewalls of the units C1 and C2 in the vicinity of the trench 36 and further extends to the units C1 and C2 of the semiconductor stack 12. According to a Fig. 1A and Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1B, portions of the current blocking structure 23 are formed beneath the transparent conductive layer 18 and the second finger portions 302. The portions of the current blocking structure 23 are arranged along the second finger portions 302 and can block current from being injected directly into the semiconductor stack 12 just beneath the second contact structures 30, thereby increasing lateral current distribution. The material of the current blocking structure 23 includes insulating materials such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, niobium oxide, hafnium oxide, titanium oxide, magnesium fluoride, aluminum oxide, and the like. The current blocking structure 23 can be a single layer or a multilayer stack.According to one embodiment (not shown), the current blocking structure 23 includes a plurality of first insulating layers having a first refractive index and a plurality of second insulating layers having a second refractive index, which are alternately stacked, wherein the first refractive index and the second refractive index are different. According to another embodiment (not shown), the current blocking structure 23 may further be formed below the second contact structure 30 on the second unit C2 and / or below the first finger part 202 on the second unit C2 for current distribution. According to another embodiment, the current blocking structure 23 may include a plurality of separate current blocking units (not shown) arranged below and corresponding to the first contact structure 20 or the second contact structure 30 or the connection structure 60.According to another embodiment (not shown), the current blocking structure 23 includes two separate current blocking units, each arranged below the two connecting structures 60.

[0017] A first insulating structure 50 covers the first unit C1, the second unit C2, and the trench 36 and includes openings 501 and 502 that expose the first contact structure 20 and the second contact structure 30, respectively. More specifically, opening 501 exposes the first contact portion 201, and opening 502 exposes the second contact portion 301. The first insulating structure 50 may be a single layer or a multilayer stack. The material of the first insulating structure 50 includes insulating materials such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, niobium oxide, hafnium oxide, titanium oxide, magnesium fluoride, aluminum oxide, and the like. According to one embodiment (not shown), the first insulating structure 50 includes a plurality of first sublayers having a first refractive index and a plurality of second sublayers having a second refractive index, which are alternately stacked, wherein the first refractive index and the second refractive index are different.The first insulating structure 50 can reflect light in a specific wavelength range and / or in a specific angle of incidence range, i.e., the first insulating structure 50 can be a reflective structure. For example, the first insulating structure 50 has a reflectance of more than 60% of the dominant wavelength and / or the peak wavelength of the light-emitting device 1. According to one embodiment, the first insulating structure 50 includes a distributed Bragg reflector.

[0018] According to another embodiment, the first insulating structure 50 further includes additional layers besides the first sublayers and the second sublayers. For example, the first insulating structure 50 further includes a bottom layer (not shown). The bottom layer is first formed on the semiconductor stack 12, and then the first sublayers and the second sublayers are formed on the bottom layer. According to one embodiment, the bottom layer contains insulating material and its thickness is greater than that of the first sublayer and the second sublayer. According to one embodiment, the bottom layer can be formed by a same process as that used to form the first sublayer and the second switching layer. For example, the bottom layer, the first sublayers, and the second sublayers are formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or physical vapor deposition (PVD).For example, the bottom layer, the first sublayers, and the second sublayers are formed by PVD such as evaporation, sputtering, or a combination thereof to obtain a smoother surface of the first insulating layer 50. According to another embodiment, the bottom layer may be formed by a different process than that used to form the first sublayer and the second sublayer. For example, the bottom layer is formed by CVD such as plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The first sublayers and the second sublayers are formed by PVD such as evaporation or sputtering. According to one embodiment, the bottom layer may protect the light-emitting device or the semiconductor stack. For example, the bottom layer prevents moisture from penetrating the light-emitting device.

[0019] According to another embodiment, the first insulating structure 50 further includes a top layer (not shown). In other words, first, the first sublayers and the second sublayers are formed on the semiconductor stack 12, and then the top layer is formed. The thickness of the top layer is greater than the thicknesses of the first sublayer and the second sublayer. According to one embodiment, the top layer may be formed by a different process than that for forming the first sublayer and the second sublayer. For example, the top layer is formed by CVD such as PECVD. The first sublayers and the second sublayers are formed by sputtering or evaporation. According to one embodiment, the top layer may improve the robustness of the first insulating structure 50.For example, when the first insulating structure 50 is subjected to an external force, the top layer can prevent the first insulating structure 50 from being broken and damaged due to the external force.

[0020] According to another embodiment, the first insulating structure 50 further includes a dense layer (not shown). According to one embodiment, the dense layer may be formed by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The dense layer may be formed on the transparent conductive layer 18 and on the semiconductor stack 12 to directly cover the semiconductor stack 12. According to one embodiment, the dense layer may be conformably formed on the semiconductor stack 12. Due to the good step coverage property of the dense layer, the dense layer may protect the semiconductor stack 12, such as preventing moisture from penetrating the semiconductor stack 12.According to one embodiment in which the dense layer directly covers the semiconductor stack 12 and is between the semiconductor stack 12 and the plurality of first sublayers and the second sublayers, the dense layer can increase the adhesion strength between the first insulating structure 50 and the semiconductor stack 12, thereby improving the reliability of the light-emitting device. According to another embodiment, the dense layer can be formed on top of the first insulating structure 50. According to one embodiment, the dense layer can reduce or prevent the diffusion of metal elements from the following pad electrode formed thereon into the semiconductor stack 12 through defects of the first insulating structure 50. Furthermore, the dense layer can increase the adhesion strength between the first insulating structure 50 and the following pad electrode.The material of the dense layer contains silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, hafnium oxide, tantalum oxide, zirconium oxide, yttrium oxide, lanthanum oxide, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, or silicon oxynitride. The dense layer has a thickness between 50 Å and 2000 Å, according to one embodiment, between 100 Å and 1500 Å.

[0021] An electrode structure is formed on the semiconductor stack 12, including a pad electrode structure and a bonding electrode structure formed thereon. The pad electrode structure includes a first pad electrode 20A and a second pad electrode 30A. The bonding electrode structure includes a first bonding electrode 29 and a second bonding electrode 39. More specifically, the first pad electrode 20A and the first bonding electrode 29 form a first electrode structure, such as an n-type electrode structure, and the second pad electrode 30A and the second bonding electrode 39 form a second electrode structure, such as a p-type electrode structure. The first electrode structure and the second electrode structure may provide a current path for an external power device to supply power to the semiconductor device 12.The first pad electrode 20A is filled in the opening 501 and thereby connected to the first contact structure 20. The second pad electrode 30A is filled in the opening 502 and thereby connected to the second contact structure 30. In this way, the first pad electrode 20A and the second pad electrode 30A are electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer 121 and the second semiconductor layer 122, respectively. A second insulating structure 40 covers the first and second units C1 and C2, the pad electrode structures 20A and 30A, and the trench 36. The second insulating structure 40 includes a first opening 401 exposing the first pad electrode 20A and a second opening 402 exposing the second pad electrode 30A. The first contacting electrode 29 is filled in the first opening 401 and thereby connected to the first pad electrode 20A.The second contacting electrode 39 is filled into the second opening 402 and thereby connected to the second pad electrode 30A. The first opening 401 has a similar shape to the first pad electrode 20A and / or the first contacting electrode 29. The second opening 402 has a similar shape to the second pad electrode 30A and / or the second contacting electrode 39.

[0022] Between the connection surface electrode structure and the contacting electrode structure, parts of the second insulating structure 40 are arranged. According to the Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1A, a maximum width of the first opening 401 is smaller than the maximum widths of the first contacting electrode 29 and the first pad electrode 20A. A maximum width of the second opening 402 is smaller than the maximum widths of the second contacting electrode 39 and the second pad electrode 30A. The side surfaces of the pad electrode structure 20A and 30A may be covered and protected by the second insulating structure 40.

[0023] The second insulating structure 40 includes an insulating material and may be a single layer or a multi-layer stack. According to one embodiment, the second insulating structure 40, like the first insulating structure 50, may include one or more insulating pairs. Each of the insulating pairs includes multiple sublayers with different refractive indices. According to another embodiment, the second insulating structure 40 includes a distributed Bragg reflector, a bottom layer, a top layer, or a dense layer similar to those of the first insulating structure 50 described above. For details of the second insulating layer structure 40, reference can be made to the description of the first insulating structure 50 and they are not repeated again.The material of the pad electrode structure and the material of the contacting electrode structure contain a metal such as Cr, Ti, W, Au, Al, In, Sn, Ni, Pt, Ag, or an alloy or a layer stack of the above materials. According to one embodiment, the pad electrode structure contains a reflective metal such as Al, Ag, or Rh. The pad electrode structure with the reflective metal and the first insulating structure 50 form an omnidirectional reflector (ODR). According to one embodiment, a thickness of the pad electrode structure is in the range of 1 to 15 µm, and a thickness of the contacting electrode structure is in the range of 1 to 15 µm. According to one embodiment, the thickness of the contacting electrode structure is greater than that of the pad electrode structure.The total thickness of the pad electrode structure and the contacting electrode structure stacked thereon is in the range of 2 to 30 µm. According to another embodiment, the total thickness of the pad electrode structure and the contacting electrode structure is in the range of 5 to 30 µm.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the pad electrode structure and the contacting electrode structure have similar shapes in a plan view, especially on the pad electrode structure. The first opening 401 and the first electrode structure have similar shapes. The second opening 402 and the second electrode structure have similar shapes. As shown in Fig. For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, the shape of the first pad electrode 20A (or the second pad electrode 30A) is an enlargement of the shapes of the first bonding electrode 29 (or the second bonding electrode 39) and the first opening 401 (or the second opening 402). However, the present embodiment is not limited to this. The shapes of the first opening 401 and the second opening 402 may be different from those of the first electrode pattern and the second electrode pattern, respectively.

[0025] In plan view, the electrode structure contains a set of slots. As shown in Fig. More specifically, as shown in Figure 1A, the first electrode structure includes a first slot set S1 having a first slot S11 in the first pad electrode 20A and a second slot S12 in the first bonding electrode 29. The second electrode structure includes a second slot set S2 having a third slot S21 in the second pad electrode 30A and a fourth slot S22 in the second bonding electrode 39. For brevity of description, the details of the slot set and the electrode structure are described by taking the first slot S11, the second slot S12, the first slot set S1, and the first electrode structure (20A and 29) as an example. Those skilled in the art can understand the details of the second slot set S2, the third slot S21, the fourth slot S22, and the second electrode structure (30A and 39) through the following disclosures.

[0026] As in Fig. 1A and Fig. 1C, the first slot S11 traverses the first pad electrode 20A in the Z direction, and the second slot S12 traverses the first bonding electrode 29 in the Z direction. In other words, the depth of the first slot S11 is equal to the thickness of the first pad electrode 20A, and the depth of the second slot S12 is equal to the thickness of the first bonding electrode 29. According to another embodiment (not shown), the first slot S11 does not completely traverse the first pad electrode 20A, and the second slot S12 completely traverses the first bonding electrode 29 in the Z direction, so the depth of the first slot S11 is smaller than the thickness of the first pad electrode 20A. The second slot S12 overlaps and corresponds to the first slot S11. The second slot S12 and the first slot S11 extend along the same direction in the XY plane.The widths or lengths of the first slot S11 and the second slot S12 are the same or different from each other. According to one embodiment, the portion of the second slot S12 that overlaps with the first slot S11 has a length of more than 50% of the total length of the second slot S12. According to one embodiment, the center lines of the first slot S11 and the second slot S12 are substantially aligned in plan view.

[0027] The first slot S11 has a smaller width than the second slot S12, wherein the width of the first slot S11 is in the range of 3 to 30 µm and the width of the second slot S12 is in the range of 8 to 40 µm. According to one embodiment, the recess and the first contact structure 20, as shown in the plan view, are located in a region outside the first slot set S1 and / or the second slot set S2. Neither the recess nor the first contact structure 20 overlap the first slot set S1 and / or the second slot set S2. The width of the first slot S11 is smaller than a width W of the recess. According to one embodiment, the first slot set S1 and the second slot set S2 run in a parallel direction in the plan view. As shown in Fig. 1A, for example, the first slot set S1 and the second slot set S2 run along the X-direction. According to another embodiment, the first slot set S1 and the second slot set S2 run in different directions. For example, the first slot set S1 runs along the X-direction and the second slot set S2 runs along the Y-direction. However, the first slot set S1 and the second slot set S2 can run along any direction in the XY plane, and the first slot set S1 and the second slot set S2 can run straight or have curves. According to a Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1A, the first electrode structure (20A and 29) and the second electrode structure (30A and 39) are spaced apart from each other by a gap in the X-direction. The first slot set S1 and the second slot set S2 extend from the sides of the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure, respectively, that are adjacent to the gap along the X-direction. The quantity of the first slot set S1 and the quantity of the second slot set S2 may be more than one, and the two quantities may be the same or different from each other.

[0028] As in Fig. 1A, the first slot set S1 does not pass through the first electrode structure in the XY plane, according to one embodiment. In other words, as shown in Fig. 1A, the first electrode structure (20A and 29) includes a part on one side of the first slot set S1 and the other part on the other side of the first slot set S1, the two parts being connected to each other on the left side of the first electrode structure. Fig. 5A-5D show schematic top views of the first pad electrode 20A and the first contacting electrode 29 according to modified embodiments of the present application. According to a Fig. 5A, the first slot set S1 may extend through the first electrode structure (20A and 29) in the XY plane. That is, in plan view, the first slot S11 extends through the first pad electrode 20A and the second slot S12 extends through the first contacting electrode 29. The first electrode structure may be divided into several separate parts by the first slot set S1. According to a Fig. In yet another embodiment shown in Fig. 5B, the first slot S11 does not pass through the first pad electrode 20A and the second slot S12 passes through the first contacting electrode 29. In this way, the first contacting electrode 29 arranged on the first pad electrode 20A can be divided into several separate parts by the second slot S12. According to an embodiment shown in Fig. In yet another embodiment shown in Figure 5C, the first slot S11 extends through the first pad electrode 20A and the second slot S12 does not extend through the first contacting electrode 29. The first pad electrode 20A may be divided into a plurality of separate parts by the first slot S11. The first contacting electrode 29 is arranged on the plurality of separate parts and covers a portion of the first slot S11. According to a Fig. In yet another embodiment shown in Figure 5D, the first slot S11 and / or the second slot S12 may be composed of a plurality of discrete slots.

[0029] Fig. 1D is a simplified top view of the light-emitting device 1, showing only the substrate 10, the semiconductor stack 12, the recesses, the first contacting electrode 29, and the second contacting electrode 39. The second slot S12 is enclosed by a pseudo-edge (E1) extending from a contour of the first contacting electrode 29 and thereby having a first area A1. An area of ​​the first contacting electrode 29 and the first area A1 form a total area AT1, where A1 / AT1 is in the range of 5-30%. In the same way, the fourth slot S22 is enclosed by a second pseudo-edge (E2) extending from an contour of the second contacting electrode 39 and thereby having a second area A2. An area of ​​the second contacting electrode 39 and the second area A2 form a total area AT2, where A2 / AT2 is in the range of 5-30%.The first surface area A1 and the second surface area A2 may be the same or different. This ratio may also be applied in the contacting electrode structure 29 and 39 of any of the embodiments of the present application.

[0030] If the details of each element of the light-emitting device according to any embodiment of the present application, such as material and thickness, are not specifically described in the following descriptions and have the same name and reference numeral as those of the light-emitting device 1, the description of the light-emitting device 1 can be referred to for the details and will not be repeated. Fig. 2A shows a plan view of a light-emitting device 2 according to another embodiment of the present application. Fig. Figure 2B shows a cross-sectional view along a line AA' in Fig. 2A. Fig. Figure 2C shows a cross-sectional view along a line BB' in Fig. 2A. Fig. 2D shows a cross-sectional view along a line CC' in Fig. 2A.

[0031] The following describes differences between the light-emitting device 2 and the light-emitting device 1. As in Fig. 2A, the first slot set S1 runs parallel to the X direction, and the second slot sets S2 run parallel to the Y direction. The second insulating layer structure 40 of the light-emitting device 2 includes a first portion 420 having the first opening 401 and a second portion 430 having the second opening 402. The first portion 420 and the second portion 430 are separated from each other in plan view and do not overlap. The first portion 420 is formed between the first pad electrode 20A and the first contacting electrode 29, and the second portion 430 is formed between the second pad electrode 30A and the second contacting electrode 39. The first contacting electrode 29 is filled in the first opening 401 and connected to the first pad electrode 20A. The second contacting electrode 39 is filled in the second opening 402 and connected to the second pad electrode 30A.According to one embodiment, the first portion 420 of the second insulating structure 40 has a similar shape to the first pad electrode 20A and the first contacting electrode 29. More specifically, the shape of an outer contour of the first portion 420 is an enlargement of the shapes of the first pad electrode 20A and the first contacting electrode 29. In this way, the side surfaces of the first contacting electrode 20A can be covered and protected by the first portion 420. In the same way, the second portion 430 of the second insulating structure 40 has a similar shape to the second pad electrode 30A and the second contacting electrode 39. The side surfaces of the second pad electrode 30A can be covered and protected by the second portion 430.

[0032] The first section 420 includes a fifth slot S13 that overlaps the first slot set S1, such as the first slot S11 and the second slot S12. The fifth slot S13 is arranged corresponding to the first slot S11 and / or the second slot S12. As shown in Fig. 2A and Fig. 2D, the first slot S11, the second slot S12, and the fifth slot S13 overlap and correspond to each other. Similar to the first section 420, the second section 430 includes two second slots S23, each overlapping the second slot set S2. The sixth slot S23 is arranged corresponding to the third slot S21 and / or the fourth slot S22. For brevity of description, the details of the slots of the first section 420 and the second section 430 are described by taking the fifth slot S13 as an example. Those skilled in the art will understand the details of the sixth slot S23 from the following disclosures. The fifth slot S13 and the first slot set S1 extend along the same direction in the XY plane. The width or length of the fifth slot S13 may be the same as or different from those of the first slot S11 and the second slot S12.According to one embodiment, the center lines of the first slot S1, the second slot S12 and the fifth slot S13 are substantially aligned in plan view.

[0033] The fifth slot S13 has a width in the Y direction and a length in the X direction that are smaller than those of the first slot S11 and the second slot S12, and the sixth slot S23 has a width in the X direction and a length in the Y direction that are smaller than those of the third slot S21 and the fourth slot S22. It should be understood that the widths and lengths of the fifth slot S13 and the sixth slot S23 are not limited to this example. According to one embodiment, the widths of the fifth slot S13 and the sixth slot S23 are in the range of 3 to 30 µm. According to one embodiment, the total stack thickness T of the pad electrode structure, the second insulating structure, and the contacting electrode structure is in the range of 2 to 30 µm.According to another embodiment, the total stack thickness T of the pad electrode structure, the second insulating structure and the contacting electrode structure is in the range of 5 to 30 µm.

[0034] Fig. 3A shows a plan view of a light-emitting device 3 according to another embodiment of the present application. Fig. Figure 3B shows a cross-sectional view along a line AA' in Fig. 3A. Fig. Figure 3C shows a cross-sectional view along a line BB' in Fig. 3A. The following describes differences between the light-emitting device 3 and the light-emitting device 2. As in Fig. 3A, the second insulating structure 40 of the light-emitting device 3 does not include the first opening 401 and the second opening 402. Parts of the first pad electrode 20A and the second pad electrode 30A are not covered by the first portion 420 and the second portion 430 of the second insulating structure 40, respectively. Fig. 3A, for example, the fifth slit S13 has a length in the X direction longer than that of the first slit S11, so that a part of the first pad electrode 20A is not covered by the first portion 420 of the second insulating structure 40 and is exposed through the fifth slit S13. Moreover, according to the embodiment, two corners of the first pad electrode 20A are not covered by the first portion 420. The first bonding electrode 29 is formed on the first portion 420 and connected to the exposed portions of the first pad electrode 20A. The more exposed portions the pad electrode structure has, the larger the contact area between the pad electrode structure and the bonding electrode structure, thereby improving the electrical characteristic of the light-emitting device.However, the positions of the exposed portions of the first pad electrode 20A are not limited thereto. According to various shapes of the first portion 420, the exposed portions of the first pad electrode 20A may be arranged in other areas. The first bonding electrode 29 has a larger surface area than the first pad electrode 20A. Thus, the first bonding electrode 29 covers the side surfaces of the exposed portions of the first pad electrode 20A. A metal element such as Al or Ag in the first pad electrode 20A can be protected by the first bonding electrode 29 and prevented from migrating or being corroded. The second pad electrode 30A, the second bonding electrode 39, the sixth slot S23, and the second portion 430 are arranged similarly.The details of the second pad electrode 30A, the second bonding electrode 39, the first slot S23, and the second portion 430 may be referred to in the above descriptions and will not be repeated.

[0035] Various modifications and combinations may be made to the light-emitting devices according to the embodiments of the present application. For example, the first or second portion of the second insulating structure 40 includes the Fig. 2A shown opening and the slot, which is the Fig. 3A underneath. For example, the light-emitting device includes the first electrode structure and first portion 420 of the light-emitting device 2 and the second electrode structure and second portion 430 of the light-emitting device 3. According to another embodiment, the first electrode structure or the second electrode structure includes the set of slots. According to yet another embodiment, the first contact structure 20 may be omitted so that the first pad electrode 20A contacts the first semiconductor layer 121 in the recesses, and / or the second contact structure 30 may be omitted so that the second pad electrode 30A contacts the transparent conductive layer 18 or the second semiconductor layer 122.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the semiconductor stack 12 includes a single unit without the interconnection structure 60 instead of a plurality of separate units, and the first electrode structure and the second electrode structure are formed on the semiconductor layers with different conductivity types in the single unit. Fig. 4A shows a plan view of a light-emitting device 4 according to another embodiment of the present application. Fig. Figure 4B shows a cross-sectional view along a line AA' in Fig. 4A. Fig. 4C shows a simplified top view of the light-emitting device 4, showing only the substrate 10, the semiconductor stack 12, the recesses, the first pad electrode 20A, the second pad electrode 30A, the first contacting electrode 29, and the second contacting electrode 39. Differences between the light-emitting device 4 and the above-mentioned light-emitting devices are described below.

[0037] The semiconductor stack 12 of the light-emitting device 4 includes a single unit. The first electrode structure (20A and 29) and the second electrode structure (30A and 39) are formed on the single unit. A plurality of recesses are formed in the semiconductor stack 12. As shown in Fig. 4A and Fig. 4C, a portion of the plurality of recesses is arranged in a central region of the semiconductor stack 12 surrounded by the semiconductor mesa, and the other portion of the plurality of recesses is arranged in the peripheral region of the semiconductor stack 12. The first pad electrode 20A is configured to cover the plurality of recesses to electrically connect the first contact structure 20 for current distribution. The second pad electrode 30A is arranged on a region of the semiconductor stack 12 without the first contact structure 20 thereon to electrically connect the second contact structure 30 for current distribution. The first pad electrode 20A and the second pad electrode 30A are insulated from each other by a gap G.In plan view, the contours of the first pad electrode 20A and the second pad electrode 30A, which are arranged around two sides of the gap G, may be complementary or complementary-like. According to one embodiment, a total surface area of ​​the first pad electrode 20A and the second pad electrode 30A is in the range of 20-90% of the surface area of ​​the semiconductor stack 12. According to one embodiment, the first opening 401 and the first contacting electrode 29 have similar shapes. The second opening 402 and the second contacting electrode 39 have similar shapes.

[0038] In the top view from Fig. 4C, the first electrode structure (20A and 29) includes the first slot sets S1 and S1' and the second electrode structure (30A and 39) includes the second slot sets S2 and S2'. As in Fig. 4C, according to one embodiment, the first electrode structure (20A and 29) includes two first slot sets S1 located near the peripheral region of the semiconductor stack 12 and four first slot sets S1' located in the central region of the semiconductor stack 12. The second electrode structure (30A and 39) includes four second slot sets S2 located near the peripheral region of the semiconductor stack 12 and two second slot sets S2' located in the central region of the semiconductor stack 12. Due to the configuration of the first slot sets S1' of the first electrode structure and the second slot sets S2' of the second electrode structure, the outline of the first pad electrode 20A and the outline of the second pad electrode 30A do not match, e.g.the first pad electrode 20A does not extend into the second slot sets S2' of the second electrode structure, so that the outlines of the first pad electrode 20A and the second pad electrode 30A are not completely complementary, but complementary. According to another embodiment (not shown), all first slot sets S1, S1' and all second slot sets S2, S2' are located near the two sides of the gap G, wherein the outlines of the first pad electrode 20A and the second pad electrode 30A adjacent to the gap G are complementary. According to another embodiment (not shown), all slot sets may be located near the periphery region of the semiconductor stack 12, and the outlines of the first pad electrode 20A and the second pad electrode 30A adjacent to the gap G may be complementary.

[0039] According to one embodiment, a width of the first slot 11 of the first slot set S1' and / or the third slot 21 of the second slot set S2' may be the same as a width of the gap G. According to another embodiment, the plurality of the first slot set S1 has the same or different widths and / or the plurality of the second slot set S2 has the same or different widths.

[0040] Various modifications and combinations can be made to the light-emitting device 4 according to the embodiments of the present application. For example, as in the above-mentioned embodiments, the first pad electrode 20A has a similar shape to the first contacting electrode 29, and the second pad electrode 30A has a similar shape to the second contacting electrode 39. The contours of the pad electrodes 20A and 30A are not complementary. According to another embodiment, the first contact structure 20 or the second contact structure 30 may further include a finger portion extending from the contact portion 201 or 301 for current distribution.According to yet another embodiment, the first contact structure 20 may be omitted so that the first pad electrode 20A contacts the first semiconductor layer 121 in the recesses, and / or the second contact structure 30 may be omitted so that the second pad electrode 30A contacts the transparent conductive layer 18 or the second semiconductor layer 122.

[0041] Fig. Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor module 100 according to an embodiment of the present application. The semiconductor module 100 includes a carrier 101 and the semiconductor devices according to any embodiments of the present application attached to the carrier 101. To illustrate the slot set of the electrode structure in the semiconductor module 100, the light-emitting device 4 is taken as an example applied in the semiconductor module 100, wherein the Fig. 6 passes through the line RR' of the light-emitting device 4. The semiconductor module 100 may be a light-emitting module. It should also be noted that the details of the elements of the light-emitting device 4 are omitted in order to Fig. 6 to make clear.

[0042] As in Fig.6, the carrier 101 is provided with end pads 8a and 8b. According to one embodiment, the carrier 101 includes a printed circuit board. The first contacting electrode pad 29 and the second contacting electrode pad 39 of the light-emitting devices according to any embodiments of the present application are connected by a conductive adhesive element 80 in a flip-chip manner and attached to the end pads 8a and 8b. In this way, most of the light emitted by the semiconductor stack 12 is coupled out through the back surface and / or through the side surfaces of the substrate 10. According to another embodiment (not shown), the light-emitting device according to any embodiments of the present application lacks the substrate 10 and light is coupled out through the side of the semiconductor stack 12 opposite the electrode structures.According to one embodiment, the conductive adhesive member 80 includes a base body in which conductive particles are dispersed. The conductive adhesive member 80 may be formed, for example, from thermosetting resin or ultraviolet-curing resin. Without limitation, the conductive adhesive member 80 includes an anisotropic conductive adhesive and an isotropic conductive adhesive such as silver paste. In the above-mentioned descriptions, the width of the slot of the pad electrode structure is in the range of 3 to 30 µm, and the width of the slot of the contacting electrode structure is in the range of 8 to 40 µm. In this way, the conductive adhesive member 80 is not only arranged between the outer surfaces of the contacting electrode structure but also filled in the slot sets S1 and S2. Thus, the light-emitting device can be attached to the carrier 101 by the conductive adhesive member 80.Furthermore, the slot sets S1 and S2 accommodate the overflowed conductive adhesive element 80 if the conductive adhesive element 80 overflows during the flip-chip bonding process, reducing the risk of an electrical short circuit between the two pad electrode structures. According to one embodiment, larger surface areas of the side surfaces SS of the slot set can increase the contact area between the electrode structure and the conductive adhesive element 80, thereby improving the adhesion between the light-emitting device and the carrier 101.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the light-emitting module 100 may further include an encapsulant (not shown) formed on the carrier 101 and covering the light-emitting device. The encapsulant includes a transparent material such as silicone, epoxy resin, acrylic resin, or a combination thereof. According to another embodiment (not shown), the light-emitting module 100 includes the carrier 101 and a plurality of light-emitting assemblies attached to the carrier 101, wherein the light-emitting device, according to any of the embodiments, is encapsulated in the light-emitting assembly and attached to the carrier 101 in a flip-chip manner. The light-emitting assembly (not shown) includes leads and a body with a cavity.The light-emitting device according to any embodiment of the present application is inserted into the cavity, and the first contacting electrode pad 29 and the second contacting electrode pad 39 of the light-emitting device are connected by the conductive adhesive member 80 and attached to the leads. The conductive adhesive member 80 can be filled into the slot sets S1 and S2 so that the light-emitting device can be attached to the leads in the package. Furthermore, the light-emitting package can include an encapsulant filled into the cavity and covering the light-emitting device.

[0044] It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications and variations may be made to the devices according to the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In view of the foregoing, this disclosure is intended to embrace modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they are within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

[1] Semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor stack comprising a first semiconductor layer, an active region and a second semiconductor layer; an electrode structure formed on and electrically connected to the semiconductor stack, comprising a pad electrode structure and a contacting electrode structure formed on the pad electrode structure; and a first insulating structure formed on the pad electrode structure; wherein the electrode structure comprises a first set of slots, wherein the first set of slots comprises a first slot in the pad electrode structure and a second slot in the contacting electrode structure, and the second slot overlaps and corresponds to the first slot in a plan view. [2] The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the second slot overlapping the first slot comprises a length of more than 50% of a total length of the second slot in plan view. [3] A semiconductor device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: the semiconductor stack comprises a recess exposing an upper surface of the first semiconductor layer; the pad electrode structure comprises a first pad electrode electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer through the recess; the first slot is in the first pad electrode; and the first slot in plan view has a smaller width than the recess. [4] The semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein the recess is located in a region outside the first slot in plan view. [5] A semiconductor device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a width of the second slot is in the range of 8 to 40 µm and / or a total thickness of the pad electrode structure and the contacting electrode structure is in the range of 2 to 30 µm. [6] A semiconductor device according to any preceding claim, wherein the first slit has a smaller width in plan view than the second slit. [7] A semiconductor device according to any preceding claim, wherein the first insulating structure is filled in the first slot. [8] A semiconductor device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second slot is enclosed in plan view by a pseudo-edge extending from an outline of the contacting electrode structure and thereby having a first surface area A1, wherein a surface area of ​​the contacting electrode structure and the first surface area form a total surface area AT, wherein A1 / AT is in the range of 5-30%. [9] A semiconductor device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: the pad electrode structure comprises a first pad electrode electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer and a second pad electrode electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer, and the contacting electrode structure comprises a first contacting electrode electrically connected to the first pad electrode and a second contacting electrode electrically connected to the second pad electrode; wherein the first insulating structure comprises a first portion and a second portion separated from each other, the first section and the second section do not overlap in plan view, the first section is formed between the first terminal surface electrode and the first contacting electrode, and the second section is formed between the second connection surface electrode and the second contacting electrode. [10] The semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein each of the first portion and the second portion includes a third slit, and the third slit overlaps and corresponds to the first slit in the first portion or the second portion in plan view.

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