Patent ID: 7736945

Claim:
A method of fabricating a light emitting diode (LED) structure comprising: growing an n-type layer, an active layer, and a p-type layer over a growth substrate, forming LED layers; forming openings in the p-type layer and active layer to expose areas of the n-type layer; forming a first metal portion extending through the openings to electrically contact the n-type layer; forming a second metal portion to electrically contact the p-type layer; wherein the first metal portion and the second metal portion form a first bonding metal on a back surface of an LED die, the first bonding metal covering at least 85% of the back surface of the LED die; forming a second bonding metal on a submount generally corresponding to the first bonding metal on the LED die; interconnecting the first bonding metal to the second bonding metal, with substantially no gaps between the first bonding metal and the second bonding metal, so that the back surface of the LED die is supported by the first bonding metal, the second bonding metal, and the submount, wherein at least 85% of the back surface of the LED die is directly supported by the first bonding metal, the second bonding metal, and the submount in a direction perpendicular to the back surface of the LED, whereby the second bonding metal underlies at least 85% of the back surface of the LED; and removing the substrate from the LED die, during a laser lift-off process, by exposing the LED die to a laser beam to allow the substrate to be lifted off the LED die without using an underfill between the submount and the LED layers to support the LED layers during the laser lift-off process, wherein the LED layers form a substantially rectangular surface, wherein the first bonding metal extends completely to an edge of the rectangular surface such that a perimeter of the rectangular surface is directly supported by at least portion of the first bonding metal, the second bonding metal, and the submount.