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  Semiconductor apparatus with thin semiconductor filmUSPTO Application #: 20070120140Title: Semiconductor apparatus with thin semiconductor film Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus includes a substrate having at least one terminal, a thin semiconductor film including at least one semiconductor device, the thin semiconductor film being disposed and bonded on the substrate; and an individual interconnecting line formed as a thin conductive film extending from the semiconductor device in the thin semiconductor film to the terminal in the substrate, electrically connecting the semiconductor device to the terminal. Compared with conventional semiconductor apparatus, the invented apparatus is smaller and has a reduced material cost. (end of abstract) Agent: Rabin & Berdo, PC - Washington, DC, US Inventors: Mitsuhiko Ogihara, Hiroyuki Fujiwara, Masaaki Sakuta, Ichimatsu Abiko USPTO Applicaton #: 20070120140 - Class: 257099000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Active Solid-state Devices (e.g., Transistors, Solid-state Diodes), Incoherent Light Emitter Structure, With Housing Or Contact Structure The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070120140. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a semiconductor apparatus useful in, for example, a light-emitting diode (LED) print head in an electrophotographic printer. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Referring to FIG. 45, a conventional LED print head 900 includes a circuit board 901 on which are mounted a plurality of LED array chips 902 having electrode pads 903, and a plurality of driver integrated circuit (IC) chips 904 having electrode pads 905. The electrode pads 903, 905 are interconnected by bonding wires 906 through which current is supplied from the driver IC chips 904 to LEDs 907 formed in the LED array chips 902. [0005] For reliable wire bonding, the electrode pads 903, 905 must be comparatively large, e.g., one hundred micrometers square (100 .mu.m.times.100 .mu.m), and the LED array chips 902 must have approximately the same thickness as the driver IC chips 904 (typically 250-300 .mu.m), even though the functional parts of the LED array chips 902 (the LEDs 907) have a depth of only about 5 .mu.m from the surface. To accommodate the needs of wire bonding, an LED array chip 902 must therefore be much larger and thicker than necessary simply to accommodate the LEDs 907. These requirements drive up the material cost of the LED array chips 902. [0006] As shown in plan view in FIG. 46, the electrode pads 903 may need to be arranged in a staggered formation on each LED array chip 902. This arrangement further increases the chip area and, by increasing the length of the path from some of the LEDs 907 to their electrode pads 903, increases the associated voltage drop. [0007] Light-emitting elements having a thin-film structure are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-063807 (FIGS. 3-6, FIG. 8, and paragraph 0021), but these light-emitting elements have electrode pads for solder bumps through which current is supplied. An array of such light-emitting elements would occupy substantially the same area as a conventional LED array chip 902. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] A general object of the present invention is to reduce the size and material cost of semiconductor apparatus. [0009] A more specific object is to reduce the size and material cost of a semiconductor apparatus comprising an LED array and its driving circuits. [0010] The invented semiconductor apparatus includes a substrate having at least one terminal. A thin semiconductor film includes at least one semiconductor device, the thin semiconductor film being disposed and bonded on the substrate. An individual interconnecting line formed as a thin conductive film extends from the semiconductor device in the thin semiconductor film to the terminal in the substrate, so the semiconductor device is electrically connected to the terminal. [0011] The semiconductor device may be an LED. The thin semiconductor film may include an array of LEDs, and the substrate having at least one terminal may include an integrated circuit that drives the LEDs. Compared with conventional semiconductor apparatus comprising an LED array chip and a driving-IC chip which is different from the LED array chip, the invented semiconductor apparatus has a reduced material cost because the LED array is reduced to a thin film and the overall size of the apparatus is reduced. The overall size of the apparatus is reduced because the large wire bonding pads conventionally used to interconnect the LEDs and their driving circuits are eliminated. Furthermore, the distance between the LEDs and their driving circuits can be reduced because of the elimination of the large wire bonding pads. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] In the attached drawings: [0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing part of an integrated LED/driving-IC chip according to a first embodiment of the invention; [0014] FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing part of the integrated LED/driving-IC chip in FIG. 1; [0015] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view schematically showing a cross section through line S.sub.3-S.sub.3 in FIG. 2; [0016] FIGS. 4A through 4F are plan views schematically showing a fabrication process for the integrated LED/driving-IC chip in FIG. 1; [0017] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view schematically showing a cross section through line S.sub.3-S.sub.3 in FIG. 2 in a modification of the first embodiment; [0018] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view schematically showing a cross section through line S.sub.3-S.sub.3 in FIG. 2 in a further modification of the first embodiment; [0019] FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view schematically showing a first stage in an LED epitaxial-film fabrication process; [0020] FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view schematically showing a second stage in the LED epitaxial-film fabrication process; [0021] FIG. 9A is a cross sectional view schematically showing a third stage in the LED epitaxial-film fabrication process; Continue reading... Full patent description for Semiconductor apparatus with thin semiconductor film Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Semiconductor apparatus with thin semiconductor film patent application. Patent Applications in related categories: 20080105892 - Light-emitting diode chip package body and packaging method thereof - AN LED chip package body provides an LED chip with a pad-installed surface, a plurality of pads disposed on the pad-installed surface and a rear surface formed opposite the pad-installed surface. The LED chip package body further has a light-reflecting coating disposed on the pad-installed surface of the LED chip ... 20080105893 - Light-emitting diode chip package body and packaging method thereof - AN LED chip package body provides an LED chip with a pad-installed surface, a plurality of pads disposed on the pad-installed surface and a rear surface formed opposite the pad-installed surface. The LED chip package body further has a light-reflecting coating disposed on the pad-installed surface of the LED chip ... ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Semiconductor apparatus with thin semiconductor film or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Multi-layer light emitting device with integrated thermoelectric chip Next Patent Application: Semiconductor light emitting device Industry Class: Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diodes) ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Semiconductor apparatus with thin semiconductor film patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 3.39468 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Accenture , Agouron Pharmaceuticals , Amgen , AT&T , Bausch & Lomb , Callaway Golf |
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