ELECTRONIC DEVICE CONTACT STRUCTURES

• Main Authors: ERCHAK, ALEXEI, A, LIDORIKIS, ELEFTERIOS, GRAFF, JOHN, W, MINSKY, MILAN, SINGH, DUNCAN, SCOTT, W
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 06.08.2008
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

Electronic devices involving contact structures, and related components, systems and methods associated therewith are described. Contact structures (also referred to as electrical contact structures or electrodes) are features on a device that are electrically connected to a power source. The power source can provide current to the device via the contact structures. The contact structures can be designed to improve current distribution in electronic devices. For example, the contact resistance of the contacts may be modified to improve current distribution (e.g., by controlling the shape and/or structure and/or composition of the contacts). The contact structures may include an intervening layer (e.g., a non-ohmic layer) positioned between a surface of the device and a conductive portion extending from a conductive pad. The intervening layer and/or conductive portions may be designed to have certain shapes (e.g., non-linear shapes) that promote current flow from the conductive pad towards the ends of the contacts to increase current spreading. The intervening layer can also reduce light generation underneath the light absorbing contacts to allow a greater percentage of the generated light to emerge from the surface of the device. Advantageously, devices including contact structures of the invention can increase uniformity of light emission and/or otherwise improve performance. As such, these contact structures are particularly suitable for use in a variety of light-emitting devices, including LEDs.