Component Having Metal Carrier Layer And Layer That Compensates For Internal Mechanical Strains

What is this patent about?

’540 is related to the field of optoelectronic components, specifically semiconductor chips. The background acknowledges challenges in manufacturing such chips, particularly concerning mechanical stability and deformation issues arising from internal stresses. Traditional approaches involving molded bodies or metallic carriers often lead to either increased height or unwanted deformations, impacting yield and processability.

The underlying idea behind ’540 is to create a mechanically stable and thin optoelectronic component by integrating a metallic carrier layer with a compensating layer . This compensating layer is designed to counteract internal mechanical stresses within the component, preventing deformation and improving overall stability. The design incorporates a mirror layer for enhanced optical performance.

The claims of ’540 focus on a component comprising a carrier and a semiconductor body. The semiconductor body has an optically active layer between two semiconductor layers. The carrier includes a contiguous metallic layer for mechanical stability, a mirror layer, and a compensating layer directly adjacent to the metallic layer. The compensating layer is key, as it is designed to counteract internal mechanical strains, and is positioned between the semiconductor body and the metallic carrier layer.

In practice, the component is manufactured by first creating a semiconductor wafer with a semiconductor body composite. A stabilization layer, which becomes the metallic carrier layer, is applied, followed by the compensating layer. The substrate is then detached, and the wafer is singulated into individual components. The compensating layer's material and thickness are chosen to offset the stresses induced by the metallic carrier layer and other component layers.

This design differs from prior approaches by directly addressing the issue of internal mechanical strains. Instead of relying on bulky molded bodies or accepting deformations, ’540 uses a dedicated compensating layer to maintain flatness and stability. The contiguous metallic carrier layer provides robust mechanical support, while the mirror layer optimizes optical performance, resulting in a thin, stable, and efficient optoelectronic component.