Semiconductor Chip with Integrated Carrier Protection Diode
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radiation-emitting semiconductor chips, such as LEDs, are vulnerable to electrostatic discharge, which can cause damage or destruction, and existing solutions like additional external diodes increase assembly and production costs, as well as space requirements.
Innovation Solution
A radiation-emitting semiconductor chip with a carrier, semiconductor body, and integrated protection diode, where the protection diode is formed in a current path through the carrier between contacts, reducing the risk of electrostatic discharge without the need for an external diode, allowing charge carriers to flow off undesired voltages without passing through the semiconductor body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an additional protective diode is connected in parallel with the semiconductor chip, then the semiconductor chip is protected from electrostatic discharge damage, but assembly costs and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protective diode function is merged with the existing carrier structure by forming a doped region directly in the carrier material. This integration eliminates the need for separate protective diode components and their associated assembly processes, thereby reducing assembly costs and production costs while maintaining electrostatic discharge protection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides mechanical support for the semiconductor chip and simultaneously functions as the protective diode through the formed doped region. This multi-functionality reduces the total component count and simplifies the overall structure, addressing the cost issue while maintaining protection capabilities.
2Reliability
If an additional protective diode is connected in parallel with the semiconductor chip, then the semiconductor chip is protected from electrostatic discharge damage, but the space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective diode function is merged with the existing carrier structure by forming a doped region directly in the carrier material. This integration eliminates the need for separate protective diode components and their associated assembly processes, thereby reducing assembly costs and production costs while maintaining electrostatic discharge protection functionality.
3Ease of manufacture
If the protection diode is integrated into the semiconductor chip, then assembly costs and space requirements are reduced, but the semiconductor body must be electrically contacted through the carrier
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical contact paths are segmented into two distinct functions: one path through the semiconductor body for the radiation-emitting diode operation, and another path through the carrier for the protective diode operation. This segmentation allows the protective function to be implemented without interfering with the primary radiation-emitting function, managing the complexity through functional separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier acts as an intermediary structure that provides both mechanical support and electrical pathways. By forming the protective diode in the carrier, the carrier mediates between the semiconductor chip and the external circuitry, providing protected electrical contact paths without requiring direct modification of the semiconductor body's contact structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The integrated protection diode effectively reduces the risk of damage from electrostatic discharge while maintaining the semiconductor chip's optoelectronic properties and not requiring additional space or increasing production costs, allowing for efficient radiation generation.
Implementation Method 1
electrostatic discharge can damage them and even destroy them
Implementation Method 2
A protection diode is formed in a current path running through the carrier between the first contact and the second contact
Implementation Method 3
The semiconductor layer sequence comprises an active region provided for generating radiation
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a radiation-emitting semiconductor chip (1) having a carrier (5), a semiconductor body (2) comprising a series of semiconductor layers, a first contact (35) and a second contact (36). The series of semiconductor layers comprises an active region for generating radiation (20), said region lying between the first semiconductor layer (21) and a second semiconductor layer (22). The carrier (5) has a primary surface (51) facing the semiconductor body (2). The first semiconductor layer (21) is located on the face of the active region (20) facing the primary surface (51) of the carrier (5) and can be contacted by means of the first contact (35). The second semiconductor layer (22) can be contacted by means of the second contact (36). A protective diode (4) is situated in a conducting path which runs through the carrier (5) between the first contact (35) and the second contact (36).