Nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device and manufacturing method thereof

• US 20030218179A1
• Filed: 04/23/2003
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LedComm LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hata, Toshio, Fudeta, Mayuko, Koide, Norikatsu, Kimura, Daigaku
• Granted Patent: US 7,154,125 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/95
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/22 Roughened surfaces, e.g. at the interface between epitaxial layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/38 with a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/42 Transparent materials

Abstract

The nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device and manufacturing method thereof are disclosed: the nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device includes a reflective layer formed on a support substrate, a p-type nitride-based semiconductor layer, a light-emitting layer and an n-type nitride-based semiconductor layer successively formed on the reflective layer, wherein irregularities are formed on a light extracting surface located above the n-type nitride-based semiconductor layer.

Claims

1. A nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device comprising:

a reflective layer formed on a support substrate;

a p-type nitride-based semiconductor layer, a light-emitting layer and an n-type nitride-based semiconductor layer successively formed on the reflective layer;

wherein a light extracting surface located above said n-type nitride-based semiconductor layer has irregularities.

2. The nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 wherein a high refractive index film including one selected from a group consisting of silicon nitride, indium oxide, neodymium oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, cerium oxide and bismuth oxide is formed on said n-type nitride-based semiconductor layer, and an upper surface of said high refractive index film is said light extracting surface.

3. The nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 wherein a nitride-based semiconductor layer represented by In_aGa₁₋

aN (0<

a≦

1) is formed on said n-type nitride-based semiconductor layer and an upper surface of said nitride-based semiconductor layer represented by In_aGa<sub>1−

a</sub>N (0<

a≦

1) is said light extracting surface.

4. The nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 3 wherein a maximum thickness of said nitride-based semiconductor layer represented by In_aGa₁₋

aN (0<

a≦

1) is in the range of 200 to 800 nm.

5. The nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 wherein a silicon-doped nitride-based semiconductor layer represented by In_aGa₁₋

aN (0<

a≦

1) is formed on said n-type nitride-based semiconductor layer, an upper surface of the silicon-doped nitride-based semiconductor layer is said light extracting surface, and a concentration of silicon contained in the silicon-doped nitride-based semiconductor layer is in the range of 5×

10²⁰˜

5×

10²¹ cm<sup>−

3</sup>.

6. The nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 wherein said support substrate is formed by nickel plating and said reflective layer is a p-type-use electrode.

7. A method of manufacturing the nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 comprising the steps of:

preparing a silicon substrate and successively forming an n-type nitride-based semiconductor layer, a light-emitting layer, and a p-type nitride-based semiconductor layer on the silicon substrate;

forming a reflective layer on the p-type nitride-based semiconductor layer and forming a support substrate on the reflective layer;

inverting a wafer using said support substrate;

removing said silicon substrate; and

forming a light extracting surface with irregularities above said n-type nitride-based semiconductor layer.

8. The method of manufacturing the nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 7 wherein the irregularities of said light extracting surface are formed through regrowth of said n-type nitride-based semiconductor layer.

9. The method of manufacturing the nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 7 wherein the irregularities of said light extracting surface is formed through polishing.

10. The method of manufacturing the nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 7 wherein the irregularities of said light extracting surface is formed through partial etching.