The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 15, 1983
Filed:
Sep. 10, 1982
Randolph H Burton, Somerset, NJ (US);
Paul A Kohl, Chatham, NJ (US);
Frederick W Ostermayer, Jr, Chatham, NJ (US);
Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Abstract
An etching process is described which can etch geometrical shapes on the surface of an n-type or intrinsic compound semiconductor and yield surfaces of optical quality without further processing. The etching process is an electrochemical process where etching is proportional to light intensity. The process involves applying a potential to the compound semiconductor while immersed in an electrolytic solution and irradiating the surface to be etched with light in a certain energy range. The electrolytic solution contains hydrofluoric acid. The distribution of light intensity and ray direction is selected to produce the desired geometrical shape. Particularly advantageous is that the surfaces produced are of optical quality. For example, lenses produced by the etching process exhibit surfaces of optical quality. Further, the process can be carried out on all the lenses on a wafer simultaneously without attention to individual devices. This is highly desirable economically. Also, the lenses produced are integral parts of the light emitting diode.