Photo-emission semiconductor device and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A photo-emission semiconductor device superior in reliability is provided. The photo-emission semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer, a light reflection layer provided on the semiconductor layer, and a protective layer formed by electroless plating to cover the light reflection layer. Therefore, even if the whole structure is reduced in size, the protective layer reliably covers the light reflection layer without gap.

1 . A photo-emission semiconductor device comprising:
 a semiconductor layer;   a light reflection layer provided on the semiconductor layer; and   a protective layer formed by electroless plating to cover the light reflection layer.   
     
     
         2 . The photo-emission semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the light reflection layer is made of silver (Ag) or a silver alloy, and
 the protective layer is made of an element selected from a group consisting of nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), palladium (Pd), gold (Au) and tin (Sn), or an alloy including two or more kinds of elements selected from the group.   
     
     
         3 . The photo-emission semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a metal layer between the light reflection layer and the protective layer. 
     
     
         4 . The photo-emission semiconductor device according to  claim 3 , further comprising a cap layer between the metal layer and the protective layer. 
     
     
         5 . The photo-emission semiconductor device according to  claim 3 , wherein the protective layer is made of an element selected from a group consisting of nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), palladium (Pd), gold (Au) and tin (Sn), or an alloy including two or more kinds of elements selected from the group. 
     
     
         6 . The photo-emission semiconductor device according to  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor layer has a layered structure including an n-type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a p-type semiconductor layer. 
     
     
         7 . A method of manufacturing a photo-emission semiconductor device, the method comprising the steps of:
 forming a light reflection layer on a semiconductor layer; and   forming a plating seed layer on the light reflection layer, and then forming a protective layer by electroless plating using the plating seed layer so as to cover the light reflection layer.   
     
     
         8 . The method of manufacturing the photo-emission semiconductor device according to  claim 7 , wherein the protective layer is allowed to grow from one or more regions of the plating seed layer, the light reflection layer and the semiconductor layer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of manufacturing the photo-emission semiconductor device according to  claim 7 , wherein a planar shape and a cross-sectional shape of the protective layer are adjusted through changing an exposure area size of the plating seed layer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of manufacturing the photo-emission semiconductor device according to  claim 7 , wherein the planar shape and the cross-sectional shape of the protective layer are adjusted through changing a surface potential of the plating seed layer by selection of a material of the plating seed layer.