Patent ID: 7064353
Filing Date: 2006-06-20
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. A light emitting device comprising: a light emitting diode (LED), formed by semiconductor materials on a substrate, that emits light by application of a forward bias voltage to terminals of the LED; an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection diode, formed by semiconductor materials on the substrate, the ESD protection diode for being connected in an anti-parallel configuration to the LED for protecting the LED from damage by shunting current away from the LED when a reverse bias voltage above a threshold level is applied to the terminals of the LED, the ESD protection diode comprising a junction of N-type material and P-type material forming a PN junction, wherein a length of the PN junction is at least twice a width of the PN junction, and wherein an area of the substrate taken up by the ESD protection diode is less than 30% of the total area taken up by the LED and ESD protection diode on the substrate; and a metal layer portion contacting the N-type material at least along 50% of the length of the PN junction, wherein a surface area of the ESD protection diode is 60,000–100,000 square microns.