Patent ID: 7405431

Claim:
A light-emitting semiconductor device protected against electrical breakdown due to overvoltages, comprising: (a) a light-generating semiconductor region comprising a first and a second semiconductor layer of opposite conductivity types for generating light, the light-generating semiconductor region having a first major surface and a second major surface, opposite to the first major surface; (b) a first electrode disposed on the first major surface and electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer of the light-generating semiconductor region; (c) an electric conductor layer disposed on the second major surface and connected both electrically and mechanically to the second semiconductor layer of the light-generating semiconductor region wherein the conductor layer covers the entire second major surface of the light-generating semiconductor region; (d) a second electrode electrically connected to the conductor layer; and (e) an overvoltage protector connected both electrically and mechanically to the conductor layer for protecting the light-generating semiconductor region from overvoltage, wherein the overvoltage protector is in the form of a semiconductor baseplate bonded to part of the second major surface of the light-generating semiconductor region via the conductor layer, wherein the second electrode is a bump electrode formed on the rest of the second major surface of the light-generating semiconductor region via the conductor layer.