Method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device

Abstract

Deposited on a wafer-like substrate for forming a plurality of light emitting device chips is a semiconductor layer laminate with a different property from that of the substrate. Then, electrodes are provided on and in electric connection with a top semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type of the semiconductor layer laminate, and on and in electric connection with a semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type, exposed by locally etching the semiconductor layer laminate, in association with the individual chips. Then, the semiconductor layer laminate is etched at boundary portions between the chips to expose the substrate, and the substrate is broken at the exposed portions into the chips. As the semiconductor layer laminate is etched out at the boundary portions between the chips before breaking the wafer, breaking can be facilitated without damaging the light emitting portions of the semiconductor layer laminate. This helps provide high-performance semiconductor light emitting devices.