Patent ID: 7638811
Filing Date: 2009-12-29
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
1. An optoelectronic device comprising: a semiconductor material having a face and at least one edge, wherein the semiconductor material is adapted to emit light from the face; a dielectric layer disposed over substantially the entire face of the semiconductor material; and a surrounding medium disposed adjacent to the dielectric layer; wherein the dielectric layer has a composition that varies with depth, providing an index of refraction that is graded from a first value at a depth closer to the semiconductor material to a second value at a depth closer to the surrounding medium, and the second value is different from the first value; wherein the dielectric layer is adapted to reduce internal reflection of light emitted from the face of the semiconductor material, and wherein the dielectric layer is further characterized by at least one of the following features (a) to (d); (a) the dielectric layer comprises a nitride material portion, an oxide material portion, and an oxynitride material portion disposed between the nitride material portion and the oxide material portion, wherein the oxide material portion is disposed proximate to the surrounding medium; (b) the dielectric layer comprises an oxide material portion and an oxynitride material portion; (c) the dielectric layer comprises a nitride material portion and an oxynitride material portion; and (d) the dielectric layer comprises a plurality of discrete sublayers, with each sublayer of the plurality of sublayers having a substantially constant composition that is different from the composition of the other sublayers of the plurality of sublayers.