US 12,278,257 B2
Light Emitting Diode and method of forming a Light Emitting Diode
Andrea Pinos, Plymouth (GB); Simon Ashton, Plymouth (GB); and Samir Mezouari, Plymouth (GB)
Assigned to Plessey Semiconductors Limited, Plymouth (GB)
Appl. No. 17/637,597
Filed by PLESSEY SEMICONDUCTORS LIMITED, Plymouth (GB)
PCT Filed Sep. 1, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/074297
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 23, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/043745, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 11, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 1912853 (GB), filed on Sep. 6, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0278166 A1, Sep. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 27/15 (2006.01); H01L 33/00 (2010.01); H01L 33/32 (2010.01)
CPC H01L 27/156 (2013.01) [H01L 33/0066 (2013.01); H01L 33/32 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming a Light Emitting Diode (LED) precursor comprising:
(a) forming a first semiconducting layer comprising a Group III-nitride on a substrate, the first semiconducting layer having a growth surface on an opposite side of the first semiconducting layer to the substrate;
(b) selectively removing a portion of the first semiconducting layer to form a mesa structure such that the growth surface of the first semiconducting layer comprises a mesa surface and a bulk semiconducting surface;
(c) forming a monolithic LED structure on the growth surface of the first semiconducting layer such that the monolithic LED structure covers the mesa surface and the bulk semiconducting surface, the monolithic LED structure comprising a plurality of layers, each layer comprising a Group III-nitride, including:
a second semiconducting layer;
an active layer provided on the second semiconducting layer, the active layer configured to generate light; and
a p-type semiconducting layer provided on the active layer,
wherein a potential barrier is provided between a first portion of the p-type semiconducting layer covering the mesa surface and a second portion of the p-type semiconducting layer covering the bulk semiconducting surface, the potential barrier surrounding the first portion of the p-type semiconducting layer covering the mesa surface; and
wherein the second semiconducting layer is formed on the growth surface to provide an inclined sidewall portion extending between a first portion of the second semiconducting layer on the mesa surface of the first semiconducting layer and a second portion of the second semiconducting layer on the bulk semiconducting surface of the first semiconducting layer.