Silicon sub-mount capable of single wire bonding and of providing ESD protection for light emitting devices

Abstract

An apparatus consisting of a single wire bond silicon sub-mount used to make an LED device which also has built-in ESD protection in the sub-mount. The single wire bond silicon sub-mount uses a pass-through interconnection between the topside of the sub-mount and the underside so that the LED chip mounted thereon is electrically coupled through the sub-mount to the anode.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for connecting a lead frame having first and second connections to a light emitting device for enabling illumination comprising the steps of 
 providing a light emitting device having a first and a second terminal,    providing a semiconductor based sub-mount having a topside and an underside,    electrically coupling the first terminal of the light emitting device to one of the first and second connections via a first single wire bond,    electrically coupling the first single wire bond to the topside,    electrically coupling the second terminal of the light emitting device to the other of the first and second connections when the second terminal is connected to the topside, and    providing electrostatic discharge protection circuitry in the region of the sub-mount where the first terminal is connected.