Patent ID: 8309377

Claim:
A method for fabrication of a reflective layer on a semiconductor light emitting diode, the semiconductor light emitting diode being made from a wafer with multiple epitaxial layers on a substrate, the method comprising: applying a first ohmic contact layer on a front surface of the multiple epitaxial layers, the first ohmic contact layer being of a reflective material to also act as a reflective layer at its interface with the front surface; applying a second ohmic contact layer on a rear surface of the multiple epitaxial layers, wherein the second ohmic contact layer is transparent or semi-transparent; applying to a front surface of the first ohmic contact layer a seed layer of a thermally conductive metal; and electroplating a relatively thick layer of the thermally conductive metal on the seed layer, the relatively thick layer of the thermally conductive metal being electrically conductive such that only a single bonding wire is required for the semiconductor light emitting diode.