Method of fabricating nitride semiconductor, method of fabricating nitride semiconductor device, nitride semiconductor device, semiconductor light emitting device and method of fabricating the same

• US 20030143771A1
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyanaga, Ryoko, Sugahara, Gaku, Hasegawa, Yoshiaki, Morita, Kiyoyuki, Ishibashi, Akihiko, Kidoguchi, Isao, Kume, Masahiro, Ban, Yuzaburo, Tsujimura, Ayumu, Suzuki, Masakatsu
• Granted Patent: US 6,911,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/46
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0237 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0242 Crystalline insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02458 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0254 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02639 Preparation of substrate for selective deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02642 Mask materials other than SiO2 or SiN
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0265 Pendeoepitaxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/12 with a stress relaxation structure, e.g. buffer layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/405 Reflective materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/46 Reflective coating, e.g. dielectric Bragg reflector
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2304/00 Special growth methods for semiconductor lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2077 using lateral bandgap control during growth, e.g. selective growth, mask induced
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2201 in a specific crystallographic orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32341 blue laser based on GaN or GaP
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4031 Edge-emitting structures

Abstract

The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of this invention includes the steps of forming, on a substrate, a first nitride semiconductor layer of Al_uGa_vIn_wN, wherein 0≦u, v, w≦1 and u+v+w=1; forming, in an upper portion of the first nitride semiconductor layer, plural convexes extending at intervals along a substrate surface direction; forming a mask film for covering bottoms of recesses formed between the convexes adjacent to each other; and growing, on the first nitride semiconductor layer, a second nitride semiconductor layer of Al_xGa_yIn_zN, wherein 0≦x, y, z≦1 and x+y+z=1, by using, as a seed crystal, C planes corresponding to top faces of the convexes exposed from the mask film.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor comprising the steps of:

forming, on a substrate, a first nitride semiconductor layer of Al_uGa_vIn_wN, wherein 0≦

u, v, w≦

1 and u+v+w=1;

forming, in an upper portion of said first nitride semiconductor layer, plural convexes extending at intervals along a substrate surface direction;

forming a mask film for covering bottoms of recesses formed between said convexes adjacent to each other; and

forming, on said first nitride semiconductor layer, a second nitride semiconductor layer of Al_xGa_yIn_zN, wherein 0≦

x, y, z≦

1 and x+y+z=1, by using, as a seed crystal, C planes corresponding to top faces of said convexes exposed from said mask film.

2. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 1,

wherein said mask film is formed from a dielectric.

3. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 2,

wherein said dielectric is silicon nitride, silicon oxide, nitrided silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, nitrided aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide or niobium oxide.

4. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 1,

wherein said mask film is formed from a metal with a high melting point or a metal compound with a high melting point.

5. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 4,

wherein said metal with a high melting point or said metal compound with a high melting point is tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten silicide, molybdenum silicide or niobium silicide.

6. A method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor comprising the steps of:

forming, on a substrate, a first nitride semiconductor layer of Al_uGa_vIn_wN, wherein 0≦

u, v, w≦

1 and u+v+w=1;

forming, in an upper portion of said first nitride semiconductor layer, plural convexes extending at intervals along a substrate surface direction;

forming a mask for covering bottoms and at least part of walls of recesses formed between said convexes adjacent to each other; and

forming, on said first nitride semiconductor layer, a second nitride semiconductor layer of Al_xGa_yIn_zN, wherein 0≦

x, y, z≦

1 and x+y+z=1, by using, as a seed crystal, portions of said convexes exposed from said mask film.

7. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 6,

wherein said mask film is formed from a dielectric.

8. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 7,

wherein said dielectric is silicon nitride, silicon oxide, nitrided silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, nitrided aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide or niobium oxide.

9. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 6,

wherein said mask film is formed from a metal with a high melting point or a metal compound with a high melting point.

10. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 9,

wherein said metal with a high melting point or said metal compound with a high melting point is tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten silicide, molybdenum silicide or niobium suicide.

11. A method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

forming a first nitride semiconductor layer on a substrate;

forming, in an upper portion of said first nitride semiconductor layer, plural grooves extending at intervals along a substrate surface direction;

forming a mask film for covering bottoms of said grooves;

growing, by using, as a seed crystal, C planes corresponding to portions of a top face of said first nitride semiconductor layer exposed from said mask film between said grooves, a lamination body including a second nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer formed from a third nitride semiconductor layer having a smaller energy gap than said second nitride semiconductor layer and a fourth nitride semiconductor layer having a larger energy gap than said active layer stacked in this order from a substrate side; and

forming, on said lamination body, a current confinement part for selectively injecting carriers into said active layer.

12. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 11,

wherein the step of forming said plural grooves includes a sub-step of forming, on said first nitride semiconductor layer,

a resist mask for covering said first nitride semiconductor layer in the shape of stripes and etching said first nitride semiconductor layer by using said resist mask, and

the step of forming said mask film includes a sub-step of lifting off said resist mask.

13. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 11,

wherein said mask film is formed from a dielectric.

14. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 13,

wherein said dielectric is silicon nitride, silicon oxide, nitrided silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, nitrided aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide or niobium oxide.

15. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 13,

wherein said mask film is formed by using electron cyclotron resonance plasma.

16. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 13,

wherein said mask film is formed by electron cyclotron resonance sputtering.

17. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 11,

wherein said mask film is formed from a metal with a high melting point or a metal compound with a high melting point.

18. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 17,

wherein said metal with a high melting point or said metal compound with a high melting point is tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten silicide, molybdenum silicide or niobium silicide.

19. A method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

forming a first nitride semiconductor layer on a substrate;

forming, in an upper portion of said first nitride semiconductor layer, plural grooves extending at intervals along a substrate surface direction;

forming a mask film for covering bottoms and at least part of walls of said grooves;

growing, by using, as a seed crystal, portions of said first nitride semiconductor layer exposed from said mask film between said grooves, a lamination body including a second nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer formed from a third nitride semiconductor layer having a smaller energy gap than said second nitride semiconductor layer and a fourth nitride semiconductor layer having a larger energy gap than said active layer stacked in this order from a substrate side; and

forming, on said lamination body, a current confinement part for selectively injecting carriers into said active layer.

20. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 19,

wherein the step of forming said plural grooves includes a sub-step of forming, on said first nitride semiconductor layer,

a resist mask for covering said first nitride semiconductor layer in the shape of stripes and etching said first nitride semiconductor layer by using said resist mask, and

the step of forming said mask film includes a sub-step of lifting off said resist mask.

21. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 19,

wherein said mask film is formed from a dielectric.

22. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 21,

wherein said dielectric is silicon nitride, silicon oxide, nitrided silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, nitrided aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide or niobium oxide.

23. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 21,

wherein said mask film is formed by using electron cyclotron resonance plasma.

24. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 21,

wherein said mask film is formed by electron cyclotron resonance sputtering.

25. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 19,

wherein said mask film is formed from a metal with a high melting point or a metal compound with a high melting point.

26. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 25,

wherein said metal with a high melting point or said metal compound with a high melting point is tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten silicide, molybdenum silicide or niobium silicide.

27. A method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor comprising the steps of:

forming, in an upper portion of a substrate, plural convexes extending at intervals along a substrate surface direction; and

selectively growing a nitride semiconductor layer of Al_xGa_yIn_zN, wherein 0≦

x, y, z≦

1 and x+y+z=1, on top faces of said convexes of said substrate.

28. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 27,

wherein said substrate is made from a nitride semiconductor, and

the method further includes, between the step of forming said convexes and the step of growing said nitride semiconductor layer, a step of forming a mask film of a dielectric, a metal with a high melting point or a metal compound with a high melting point for covering bottoms of recesses formed between said convexes adjacent to each other.

29. A method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

forming, in an upper portion of a substrate, plural grooves extending at intervals along a substrate surface direction;

selectively growing, on a top face of said substrate between said grooves, a lamination body including a first nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer formed from a second nitride semiconductor layer having a smaller energy gap than said first nitride semiconductor layer and a third nitride semiconductor layer having a larger energy gap than said active layer stacked in this order from a substrate side; and

forming, on said lamination body, a current confinement part for selectively injecting carriers into said active layer.

30. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 29,

wherein the step of growing said lamination body includes a sub-step of forming plural gaps surrounded with bottoms and walls of said grooves and a surface of said lamination body opposing said grooves.

31. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 29,

wherein, in the step of growing said lamination body, said lamination body is grown on said substrate without forming a buffer layer therebetween.

32. A method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

forming a first nitride semiconductor layer on a substrate;

forming, in an upper portion of said first nitride semiconductor layer, plural grooves extending at intervals along a substrate surface direction;

forming a mask film for covering bottoms of said grooves;

growing, by using, as a seed crystal, C planes corresponding to portions of a top face of said first nitride semiconductor layer exposed from said mask film between said grooves, a lamination body including a second nitride semiconductor layer, a third nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer formed from a fourth nitride semiconductor layer having a larger refractive index than said third nitride semiconductor layer and a fifth nitride semiconductor layer having a smaller refractive index than said active layer stacked in this order from a substrate side; and

forming, on said lamination body, a current confinement part for selectively injecting carriers into said active layer,

wherein the step of growing said lamination body includes a sub-step of growing said second nitride semiconductor layer with a refractive index thereof smaller than or equivalent to a refractive index of said third nitride semiconductor layer.

33. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 32,

wherein the step of growing said lamination body includes, when said second nitride semiconductor layer includes aluminum, a sub-step of forming, between said first nitride semiconductor layer and said second nitride semiconductor layer, plural sixth nitride semiconductor layers including aluminum in a smaller composition ratio than in said second nitride semiconductor layer for covering a top face and its vicinity of each of said convexes alone.

34. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 32,

wherein the step of growing said lamination body includes a sub-step of forming, between said second nitride semiconductor layer and said third nitride semiconductor layer, a sixth nitride semiconductor layer having a superlattice structure with a refractive index smaller than or equivalent to the refractive index of said second nitride semiconductor layer or said third nitride semiconductor layer.

35. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 32,

wherein the step of forming said plural grooves includes a sub-step of forming, on said first nitride semiconductor layer, a resist mask for covering said first nitride semiconductor layer in the shape of stripes and etching said first nitride semiconductor layer by using said resist mask, and

the step of forming said mask film includes a sub-step of lifting off said resist mask.

36. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 32,

wherein said mask film is formed from a dielectric.

37. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 36,

wherein said dielectric is silicon nitride, silicon oxide, nitrided silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, nitrided aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide or niobium oxide.

38. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 36,

wherein said mask film is formed by using electron cyclotron resonance plasma.

39. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 36,

wherein said mask film is formed by electron cyclotron resonance sputtering.

40. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 36,

wherein said mask film is formed from a metal with a high melting point or a metal compound with a high melting point.

41. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 40,

wherein said metal with a high melting point or said metal compound with a high melting point is tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten silicide, molybdenum silicide or niobium silicide.

42. A method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

forming a first nitride semiconductor layer on a substrate;

forming, in an upper portion of said first nitride semiconductor layer, plural grooves extending at intervals along a substrate surface direction;

forming a mask film for covering bottoms and at least part of walls of said grooves;

growing, by using, as a seed crystal, portions of said first nitride semiconductor layer exposed from said mask film between said grooves, a lamination body including a second nitride semiconductor layer, a third nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer formed from a fourth nitride semiconductor layer having a larger refractive index than said third nitride semiconductor layer and a fifth nitride semiconductor layer having a smaller refractive index than said active layer stacked in this order from a substrate side; and

forming, on said lamination body, a current confinement part for selectively injecting carriers into said active layer,

wherein the step of growing said lamination body includes a sub-step of growing said second nitride semiconductor layer with a refractive index thereof smaller than or equivalent to a refractive index of said third nitride semiconductor layer.

43. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 42,

wherein the step of growing said lamination body includes, when said second nitride semiconductor layer includes aluminum,

a sub-step of forming, between said first nitride semiconductor layer and said second nitride semiconductor layer, plural sixth nitride semiconductor layers each including aluminum in a smaller composition ratio than in said second nitride semiconductor layer for covering a top face and its vicinity of each of said convexes alone.

44. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 42,

wherein the step of growing said lamination body includes a sub-step of forming, between said second nitride semiconductor layer and said third nitride semiconductor layer, a sixth nitride semiconductor layer having a superlattice structure with a refractive index smaller than or equivalent to the refractive index of said second nitride semiconductor layer or said third nitride semiconductor layer.

45. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 42,

wherein the step of forming said plural grooves includes a sub-step of forming, on said first nitride semiconductor layer, a resist mask for covering said first nitride semiconductor layer in the shape of stripes and etching said first nitride semiconductor layer by using said resist mask, and

the step of forming said mask film includes a sub-step of lifting off said resist mask.

46. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 42,

wherein said mask film is formed from a dielectric.

47. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 46,

wherein said dielectric is silicon nitride, silicon oxide, nitrided silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, nitrided aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide or niobium oxide.

48. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 46,

wherein said mask film is formed by using electron cyclotron resonance plasma.

49. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 46,

wherein said mask film is formed by electron cyclotron resonance sputtering.

50. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 42,

wherein said mask film is formed from a metal with a high melting point or a metal compound with a high melting point.

51. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 50,

wherein said metal with a high melting point or said metal compound with a high melting point is tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten silicide, molybdenum silicide or niobium silicide.

52. A method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor comprising the steps of:

forming, on a substrate, a first nitride semiconductor layer of Al_uGa_vIn_wN, wherein 0≦

u, v, w≦

1 and u+v+w=1;

forming, in an upper portion of said first nitride semiconductor layer, plural convexes extending at intervals along a substrate surface direction;

forming a mask film for covering bottoms of recesses formed between said convexes adjacent to each other; and

growing, on said first nitride semiconductor layer, plural second nitride semiconductor layers of Al_xGa_yIn_zN, wherein 0≦

x, y, z≦

1 and x+y+z=1, by using, as a seed crystal, C planes corresponding to top faces of said convexes exposed from said mask film,

wherein the step of forming said plural second nitride semiconductor layers includes a sub-step of forming each of said second nitride semiconductor layers in a manner that I facet of said second nitride semiconductor layer parallel to a direction of extending said convexes is exposed every time said second nitride semiconductor layer extends over a given number of convexes among said plural convexes.

53. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 52,

wherein said facet is an A plane or an M plane.

54. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 52,

wherein, in the step of forming said plural convexes, said plural convexes are formed in such a formation cycle that a region where said facet is exposed is larger than a region where said facet is not exposed.

55. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 52,

wherein said mask film is formed from a dielectric.

56. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 55,

wherein said dielectric is silicon nitride, silicon oxide, nitrided silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, nitrided aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide or niobium oxide.

57. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 52,

wherein said mask film is formed from a metal with a high melting point or a metal compound with a high melting point.

58. The method of. fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 57,

wherein said metal with a high melting point or said metal compound with a high melting point is tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten silicide, molybdenum silicide or niobium silicide.

59. A method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor comprising the steps of:

forming, on a substrate, a first nitride semiconductor layer of Al_uGa_vIn_wN, wherein 0≦

u, v, w≦

1 and u+v+w=1;

forming, in an upper portion of said first nitride semiconductor layer, plural convexes extending at intervals along a substrate surface direction;

forming a mask film for covering bottoms and at least part of walls of recesses formed between said convexes adjacent to each other; and

growing, on said first nitride semiconductor layer, plural second nitride semiconductor layers of Al_xGa_yIn_zN, wherein 0≦

x, y, z≦

1 and x+y+z=1, by using, as a seed crystal, portions of said convexes exposed from said mask film,

wherein the step of forming said plural second nitride semiconductor layers includes a sub-step of forming each of said second nitride semiconductor layers in a manner that a facet of said second nitride semiconductor layer parallel to a direction of extending said convexes is exposed every time said second nitride semiconductor layer extends over a given number of convexes among said plural convexes.

60. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 59,

wherein said facet is an A plane or an M plane.

61. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 59,

wherein, in the step of forming said plural convexes, said plural convexes are formed in such a formation cycle that a region where said facet is exposed is larger than a region where said facet is not exposed.

62. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 59,

wherein said mask film is formed from a dielectric.

63. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 62,

wherein said dielectric is silicon nitride, silicon oxide, nitrided silicon, aluminum, nitrided aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide or niobium oxide.

64. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 59,

wherein said mask film is formed from a metal with a high melting point or a metal compound with a high melting point.

65. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor of claim 64,

wherein said metal with a high melting point or said metal compound with a high melting point is tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten silicide, molybdenum silicide or niobium silicide.

66. A method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

forming a first nitride semiconductor layer on a substrate;

forming, in an upper portion of said first nitride semiconductor layer, plural grooves extending at intervals along a substrate surface direction;

forming a mask film for covering bottoms of said grooves;

growing, by using, as a seed crystal, C planes corresponding to portions of a top face of said first nitride semiconductor layer exposed from said mask film between said grooves, plural lamination bodies each including a second nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer formed from a third nitride semiconductor layer having a smaller energy gap than said second nitride semiconductor layer and a fourth nitride semiconductor layer having a larger energy gap than said active layer stacked in this order from a substrate side; and

forming, on each of said lamination bodies, a current confinement part for selectively injecting carriers into said active layer,

wherein the step of growing said plural lamination bodies includes a sub-step of forming each of said lamination bodies in a manner than a cavity facet including said current confinement part is exposed every time said lamination body extends over a given number of C planes of said first nitride semiconductor layer.

67. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 66,

wherein said cavity facet is an A plane or an M plane.

68. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 66,

wherein, in the step of forming said plural grooves, said plural grooves are formed in such a formation cycle that a region where said cavity facet is exposed is larger than a region where said cavity facet is not exposed.

69. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 66,

wherein said mask film is formed from a dielectric.

70. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 69,

wherein said dielectric is silicon nitride, silicon oxide, nitrided silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, nitrided aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide or niobium oxide.

71. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 66,

wherein said mask film is formed from a metal with a high melting point or a metal compound with a high melting point.

72. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 71,

wherein said metal with a high melting point or said metal compound with a high melting point is tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten silicide, molybdenum suicide or niobium silicide.

73. A method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

forming a first nitride semiconductor layer on a substrate;

forming, in an upper portion of said first nitride semiconductor layer, plural grooves extending at intervals along a substrate surface direction;

forming a mask film for covering bottoms and at least part of walls of said grooves;

growing, by using, as a seed crystal, portions of said first nitride semiconductor layer exposed from said mask film between said grooves, plural lamination bodies each including a second nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer formed from a third nitride semiconductor layer having a smaller energy gap than said second nitride semiconductor layer and a fourth nitride semiconductor layer having a larger energy gap than said active layer stacked in this order from a substrate side; and

forming, on each of said lamination bodies, a current confinement part for selectively injecting carriers into said active layer,

wherein the step of growing said plural lamination bodies includes a sub-step of forming each of said lamination bodies in a manner than a cavity facet including said current confinement part is exposed every time said lamination body extends over a given number of portions of said first nitride semiconductor layer sandwiched between said grooves adjacent to each other.

74. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 73,

wherein said cavity facet is an A plane or an M plane.

75. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 73,

wherein, in the step of forming said plural grooves, said plural grooves are formed in such a formation cycle that a region where said cavity facet is exposed is larger than a region where said cavity facet is not exposed.

76. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 73,

wherein said mask film is formed from a dielectric.

77. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 76,

wherein said dielectric is silicon nitride, silicon oxide, nitrided silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, nitrided aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide or niobium oxide.

78. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 73,

wherein said mask film is formed from a metal with a high melting point or a metal compound with a high melting point.

79. The method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device of claim 78,

wherein said metal with a high melting point or said metal compound with a high melting point is tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten silicide, molybdenum silicide or niobium silicide.

80. A method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device comprising the. steps of:

forming a first nitride semiconductor layer on a substrate;

forming, in an upper portion of said first nitride semiconductor layer, plural first grooves extending at intervals along one substrate surface direction;

forming a first mask film for covering bottoms of said first grooves;

growing a second nitride semiconductor layer by using, as a seed crystal, C planes corresponding to portions of a top face of said first nitride semiconductor layer exposed from said first mask film between said first grooves;

forming, in an upper portion of said second nitride semiconductor layer, plural second grooves extending at intervals in said one substrate surface direction and having portions between said second grooves adjacent to each other in different positions, in a substrate surface direction, from the portions between said first grooves adjacent to each other;

forming a second mask film for covering bottoms of said second grooves;

growing a third nitride semiconductor layer including an active layer by using, as a seed crystal, C planes corresponding to portions of a top face of said second nitride semiconductor layer exposed from said second mask film between said second grooves; and

forming, on said third nitride semiconductor layer, a current confinement part with a resonating direction of generated light substantially perpendicular to said one substrate surface direction.

81. A method of fabricating a nitride semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

forming a first nitride semiconductor layer on a substrate;

forming, in an upper portion of said first nitride semiconductor layer, plural first grooves extending at intervals along one substrate surface direction;

forming a first mask film for covering bottoms and at least part of walls of said first grooves;

growing a second nitride semiconductor layer by using, as a seed crystal, portions of said first nitride semiconductor layer exposed from said first mask film between said first grooves;

forming, in an upper portion of said second nitride semiconductor layer, plural second grooves extending at intervals along said one substrate surface direction and having portions between said second grooves adjacent to each other in positions different, in a substrate surface direction, from portions between said first grooves adjacent to each other;

forming a second mask film for covering bottoms and at least part of walls of said second grooves;

growing a third nitride semiconductor layer including an active layer by using, as a seed crystal, portions of said second nitride semiconductor layer exposed from said second mask film between said second grooves; and

forming, on said third nitride semiconductor layer, a current confinement part with a resonating direction of generated light substantially perpendicular to said one substrate surface direction.

82. A method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device comprising the steps of:

forming a first semiconductor layer on a substrate and forming, in an upper portion of said first semiconductor layer, plural first convexes extending at intervals along a substrate surface direction;

forming, on said first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer having a lower face in contact with said first convexes from a lamination body including an active layer, and

forming, in an upper portion of said second semiconductor layer, plural second convexes extending in a direction the same as said first convexes at intervals different from the intervals of said first convexes;

forming, on said substrate, a mark for aligning a mask for identifying a convex for injecting carriers into said active layer among said plural second convexes; and

aligning said mask by using said mark and forming one of said plural second convexes into a carrier injection part by using said mask.

83. The method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device of claim 82,

wherein said first semiconductor layer and said second semiconductor layer are formed from nitride semiconductors,

the step of forming said first convexes includes a sub-step of forming a dielectric. film in each area sandwiched between said first convexes, and

the step of forming said mark includes a sub-step of forming said mark for identifying one of said second convexes in a position not overlapping any of said first convexes in a direction vertical to a surface of said substrate and in the vicinity of any of said first convexes.

84. A method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device comprising the steps of:

forming a first nitride semiconductor layer on a substrate;

forming, in an upper portion of said first nitride semiconductor layer, plural grooves extending at intervals in a substrate surface direction;

forming a mask film for covering bottoms of said grooves;

growing, by using, as a seed crystal, C planes corresponding to portions of a top face of said first nitride semiconductor layer exposed from said mask film between said grooves, a lamination body including a second nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer formed from a third nitride semiconductor layer having a smaller energy gap than said second nitride semiconductor layer and a fourth nitride semiconductor layer having a larger energy gap than said active layer stacked in this order from a substrate side;

forming, in an upper portion of said lamination body, plural convexes extending in a direction the same as said grooves at intervals different from the intervals of said grooves; and

selecting one convex in a position above any of said grooves and in the vicinity of an area between said grooves among said plural convexes and forming said selected convex into a carrier injection part for injecting carriers into said active layer.

85. The method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device of claim 84,

wherein the step of forming said plural grooves includes a sub-step of forming on said first nitride semiconductor layer, a resist mask for covering said first nitride semiconductor layer in the shape of stripes and etching said first nitride semiconductor layer by using said resist mask, and

the step of forming said mask film includes a sub-step of lifting off said resist mask.

86. The method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device of claim 84,

wherein said mask film is formed from a dielectric.

87. The method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device of claim 86,

wherein said dielectric is silicon nitride, silicon oxide, nitrided silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, nitrided aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide or niobium oxide.

88. The method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device of claim 86,

wherein said mask film is formed by using electron cyclotron resonance plasma.

89. The method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device of claim 86,

wherein said mask film is formed by electron cyclotron resonance sputtering.

90. The method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device of claim 84,

wherein said mask film is formed from a metal with a high melting point or a metal compound with a high melting point.

91. The method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device of claim 90,

wherein said metal with a high melting point or said metal compound with a high melting point is tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten silicide, molybdenum silicide or niobium silicide.

92. A method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device comprising the steps of:

forming a first nitride semiconductor layer on a substrate;

forming, in an upper portion of said first nitride semiconductor layer, plural grooves extending at intervals in a substrate surface direction;

forming a mask film for covering bottoms and at least part of walls of said grooves;

growing, by using, as a seed crystal, portions of said first nitride semiconductor layer exposed from said mask film between said groove, a lamination body including a second nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer formed from a third nitride semiconductor layer having a smaller energy gap than said second nitride semiconductor layer and a fourth nitride semiconductor layer having a larger energy gap than said active layer stacked in this order from a substrate side;

forming, in an upper portion of said lamination body, plural convexes extending in a direction the same as said grooves at intervals different from the intervals of said grooves; and

selecting one convex in a position above any of said grooves and in the vicinity of an area between said grooves among said plural convexes and forming said selected convex into a carrier injection part for injecting carriers into said active layer.

93. The method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device of claim 92,

wherein the step of forming said plural grooves includes a sub-step of forming, on said first nitride semiconductor layer, a resist mask for covering said first nitride semiconductor layer in the shape of stripes and etching said first nitride semiconductor layer by using said resist mask, and

the step of forming said mask film includes a sub-step of lifting off said resist mask.

94. The method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device of claim 92,

wherein said mask film is formed from a dielectric.

95. The method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device of claim 94,

wherein said dielectric is silicon nitride, silicon oxide, nitrided silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, nitrided aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide or niobium oxide.

96. The method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device of claim 94,

wherein said mask film is formed by using electron cyclotron resonance plasma.

97. The method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device of claim 94,

wherein said mask film is formed by electron cyclotron resonance sputtering.

98. The method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device of claim 92,

wherein said mask film is formed from a metal with a high melting point or a metal compound with a high melting point.

99. The method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device of claim 98,

wherein said metal with a high melting point or said metal compound with a high melting point is tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, tungsten silicide, molybdenum silicide or niobium silicide.