Optoelectronic Semiconductor Component Isolating Layer Interruption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optoelectronic semiconductor components, particularly LEDs, face reliability issues due to silver migration effects causing short circuits or destruction, especially in applications requiring high reliability like automobiles, despite the use of moisture-blocking dielectrics.
Innovation Solution
An optoelectronic semiconductor component design featuring a semiconductor body with a semiconductor layer sequence, an active region, and an isolating layer with an interruption that encloses the functional region laterally, preventing moisture and charge carrier injection, and incorporating a metal layer at the same potential as the terminal layer to eliminate silver migration effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If silver-containing electrodes are used to electrically contact the p-side of the semiconductor chip, then electrical conductivity is improved, but migration effects cause damage due to short circuits or destruction
Solution Approach 1:
An isolating layer is introduced as an intermediary between the silver-containing first terminal layer and the semiconductor body. This dielectric layer prevents direct contact between silver and the semiconductor, blocking migration paths while maintaining electrical functionality through controlled charge carrier blocking regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The isolating layer is segmented with charge carrier blocking regions that are selectively positioned. These regions divide the isolating layer into functional zones: areas with high adhesion to the semiconductor body that block charge carriers, and areas with lower adhesion that allow controlled interaction. This segmentation enables precise control over where silver migration can occur and where it must be blocked.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If moisture blocking dielectrics are used to prevent migration, then protection against moisture is improved, but voids and defects reduce reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The isolating layer is designed as a composite structure combining a dielectric material with controlled adhesion properties. The material exhibits high adhesion to the semiconductor body in specific regions and controlled adhesion in others, creating a composite functional structure that blocks moisture while preventing void formation through selective bonding.
Solution Approach 2:
The isolating layer exhibits spatially varying adhesion properties: high adhesion regions where the layer bonds strongly to the semiconductor body to prevent voids and ensure moisture blocking, and charge carrier blocking regions with specific adhesion characteristics. This local quality variation allows the same layer to fulfill multiple protective functions simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
An optoelectronic semiconductor component has a semiconductor body, wherein the semiconductor body includes a semiconductor layer sequence having a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer and an active region that generates or receives radiation disposed between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer; the semiconductor body has a functional region in which the first semiconductor layer electrically conductively connects to a first terminal layer and the second semiconductor layer electrically conductively connects to a second terminal layer; an isolating layer is arranged on a side of the first terminal layer facing away from the semiconductor body; an interruption is formed in the isolating layer which at least locally delimits an inner subregion of the isolating layer in a lateral direction; the interruption encloses the functional region in the lateral direction; and in a plan view of the semiconductor component, the interruption overlaps with the active region.