Semiconductor light-emitting device, surface-emission laser diode, and production apparatus thereof, production method, optical module and optical telecommunication system

• US 20040238832A1
• Filed: 06/29/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akihiro Itoh, Morimasa Kaminishi, Naoto Jikutani, Shunichi Sato, Takashi Takahashi
• Original Assignee: Akihiro Itoh, Morimasa Kaminishi, Naoto Jikutani, Shunichi Sato, Takashi Takahashi
• Inventors: Takahashi, Takashi, Sato, Shunichi, Kaminishi, Morimasa, Jikutani, Naoto, Itoh, Akihiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,067,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/86
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/025 Physical imperfections, e.g. particular concentration or distribution of impurities
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/10 with a light reflecting structure, e.g. semiconductor Bragg reflector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2304/04 MOCVD or MOVPE
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0014 Measuring characteristics or properties thereof measuring techniques per se G01J, G01K, G01N, G01R
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02251 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18305 with emission through the substrate, i.e. bottom emission
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18308 having a special structure for lateral current or light confinement
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18311 using selective oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18341 Intra-cavity contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/18394 Apertures, e.g. defined by the shape of the upper electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3211 characterised by special cladding layers, e.g. details on band-discontinuities
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32366 (In)GaAs with small amount of N
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/343 in AIIIBV compounds, e.g. AlGaAs-laser , InP-based laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34306 emitting light at a wavelength longer than 1000nm, e.g. InP based 1300 and 1500nm lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser

Abstract

A semiconductor light-emitting device has a semiconductor layer containing Al between a substrate and an active layer containing nitrogen, wherein Al and oxygen are removed from a growth chamber before growing said active layer and a concentration of oxygen incorporated into said active layer together with Al is set to a level such that said semiconductor light-emitting device can perform a continuous laser oscillation at room temperature.

Claims

1-10. -10. (Cancelled)

11. A method of fabricating a semiconductor light-emitting device having a semiconductor layer containing Al between a substrate and an active layer containing nitrogen, said method comprising the steps of:

growing said semiconductor layer in a growth chamber; and

growing said active layer in said growth chamber,

wherein said step of growing said active layer is conducted inside said growth chamber without taking out said substrate to the atmosphere after said step of growing said semiconductor layer.

12. A method of fabricating a semiconductor light-emitting device, said semiconductor light-emitting device having a semiconductor layer containing Al between a substrate and an active layer containing nitrogen, said method comprising the steps of:

heating a susceptor in a growth chamber;

growing said semiconductor layer in said growth chamber while using a metal organic source of Al; and

growing said active layer in said growth chamber while using a nitrogen compound source,

wherein there is provided a step, after said step of growing said semiconductor layer containing Al but before a start of said step of growing said active layer, of removing residual Al species comprising one or more of an Al source, an Al reactant, an Al compound, and Al, remaining in said growth chamber, from a part of said growth chamber that can-make a contact with said nitrogen compound source or an impurity contained in said nitrogen compound source.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said step of removing said residual Al species is conducted by purging said residual Al species by a carrier gas.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein said purging of said residual Al species is conducted while simultaneously growing an intermediate layer between said semiconductor layer and said active layer.

15. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said step removing said residual Al species being conducted by a carrier gas, said step of purging being conducted while heating a susceptor.

16-41. -41. (Cancelled)

42. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device having a semiconductor layer containing Al between a substrate and an active layer containing nitrogen, comprising the steps of:

growing said semiconductor layer containing Al by using a metal-organic Al source;

growing said active layer containing nitrogen by using a nitrogen compound source material; and

providing the means for preventing residual of said metal-organic Al source from an inner wall of a growth chamber, between a gas flow containing said metal-organic Al source and said inner wall of said growth chamber.

43. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device having a semiconductor layer containing Al between a substrate and an active layer containing nitrogen, comprising the steps of:

growing said semiconductor layer containing Al by using a metal-organic source of Al;

growing said active layer containing nitrogen by said nitrogen compound source material,

wherein a side-flow gas is caused to flow in said step of growing said semiconductor layer containing Al between an inner wall of a growth chamber and a gas flow containing said metal-organic Al source so as to prevent residual of said metal-organic source of Al.

44. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device having a semiconductor layer containing Al between a substrate and an active layer containing nitrogen, comprising the steps of:

growing said semiconductor layer containing Al by using a metal-organic source of Al;

growing said active layer containing nitrogen by said nitrogen compound source material,

wherein a side-flow gas is caused to flow in said step of growing said active layer containing nitrogen between an inner wall of a growth chamber and a gas flow containing said metal-organic Al source.

45. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device having a semiconductor layer containing Al between a substrate and an active layer containing nitrogen, comprising the steps of:

growing said semiconductor layer containing Al by using a metal-organic source of Al;

growing said active layer containing nitrogen by said nitrogen compound source material,

wherein said step of growing said semiconductor layer containing Al includes the step of flowing a side-flow gas so as to eliminate a residue of Al species including an Al source, an Al reactant, an Al compound and Al on an inner wall of a growth chamber,

said step of growing said active layer containing nitrogen comprising the step of flowing said side-flow gas so as to prevent migration of said Al species remaining on said inner wall of said growth chamber to a substrate.

46. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device having a semiconductor layer containing Al between a substrate and an active layer containing nitrogen, comprising the steps of:

growing said semiconductor layer containing Al by using a metal-organic source of Al;

growing said active layer containing nitrogen by said nitrogen compound source material,

wherein a production apparatus of said semiconductor light-emitting device provides the means, in said step of growing said semiconductor layer containing Al, for preventing said metal organic Al source from residing on an inner wall of said growth chamber, between said inner wall of said growth chamber and a gas flow containing said metal-organic Al source.

47. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device having a semiconductor layer containing Al between a substrate and an active layer containing nitrogen, comprising the steps of:

growing said semiconductor layer containing Al by using a metal-organic source of Al;

growing said active layer containing nitrogen by said nitrogen compound source material,

wherein a production apparatus of said semiconductor light-emitting device forms a structure, in said step of growing said semiconductor layer containing Al and/or said step of growing said active layer containing nitrogen, for causing to flow a side-flow gas along an inner wall of a growth chamber.

48. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device having a semiconductor layer containing Al between a substrate and an active layer containing nitrogen, comprising the steps of:

growing said semiconductor layer containing Al by using a metal-organic source of Al;

growing said active layer containing nitrogen by said nitrogen compound source material,

wherein there is provided a structure, in said step of growing said semiconductor layer containing Al and/or said step of growing said active layer containing nitrogen, for flowing a side-flow gas along a sidewall of a susceptor holding said substrate.

49-63. -63. (Cancelled)

64. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device comprising a substrate, a first semiconductor layer containing Al stacked on said substrate, and an active layer containing nitrogen formed on said first semiconductor layer containing Al, said method comprising the steps of:

growing said first semiconductor layer by a metal organic source of Al;

growing a second semiconductor layer containing Al by using a metal organic source of Al; and

growing an active layer by using a nitrogen compound source, wherein there is provided a step of removing residual Al species, formed of any of an Al source, Al reactant, Al compound and Al from a part of said growth chamber where said nitrogen compound source or an impurity contained in said nitrogen compound source makes a contact, after a growth step of said first semiconductor layer containing Al but before a step of start of said second semiconductor layer containing Al.

65. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device comprising a substrate, a first semiconductor layer containing Al stacked on said substrate and an active layer containing nitrogen formed on said first semiconductor layer containing Al, said method comprising the steps of:

growing said first semiconductor layer by using a metal organic source of Al;

growing a second semiconductor layer containing Al by using a metal organic source of Al; and

growing an active layer by using a nitrogen compound source,

wherein there is provided a step of removing residual Al species, formed of any of an Al source, Al reactant, Al compound and Al from a part of said growth chamber where said nitrogen compound source or an impurity contained in said nitrogen compound source makes a contact, during a growth of an intermediate layer provided between said first semiconductor layer containing Al and said second semiconductor layer containing Al.

66. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device comprising a substrate, an active layer containing nitrogen and a semiconductor layer containing Al provided between said substrate and said active layer, said method comprising the steps of:

growing a semiconductor layer containing Al by using a metal organic source of Al; and

growing an active layer containing nitrogen by using a nitrogen compound source,

wherein there is provided a step of removing residual Al species, formed of one or more of an Al source, Al reactant, Al compound and Al, from an inner wall of a growth chamber, by conducting a purging process while maintaining a temperature of said inner wall of said growth chamber higher than a temperature of said inner wall of said growth chamber during a growth of said active layer containing nitrogen, after growth of said semiconductor layer containing Al but before growing said active layer containing nitrogen.

67. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device comprising a substrate, an active layer containing nitrogen and a semiconductor layer containing Al provided between said substrate and said active layer, said method comprising the steps of:

growing a semiconductor layer containing Al by using a metal organic source of Al; and

growing an active layer containing nitrogen by using a nitrogen compound source,

wherein there is provided a step of removing residual Al species, formed of one or more of an Al source, Al reactant, Al compound and Al, from an inner wall of a growth chamber, by conducting a purging process by way of flowing a side-flow gas along said inner wall of said growth chamber, while maintaining a temperature of said inner wall of said growth chamber higher than a temperature of said inner wall of said growth chamber during a growth of said active layer containing nitrogen, after growth of said semiconductor layer containing Al but before growing said active layer containing nitrogen.

68. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device comprising a substrate, an active layer containing nitrogen and a semiconductor layer containing Al provided between said substrate and said active layer, said method comprising the steps of:

growing a semiconductor layer containing Al by using a metal organic source of Al; and

growing an active layer containing nitrogen by using a nitrogen compound source,

wherein there is provided a step of removing residual Al species, formed of one or more of an Al source, Al reactant, Al compound and Al, from an inner wall of a growth chamber, by conducting a purging process while maintaining a temperature of a susceptor used to hold a substrate higher than a susceptor temperature during a growth of said active layer containing nitrogen, after growth of said semiconductor layer containing Al but before growing said active layer containing nitrogen.

69. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device comprising a substrate, an active layer containing nitrogen and a semiconductor layer containing Al provided between said substrate and said active layer, said method comprising the steps of:

growing a semiconductor layer containing Al by using a metal organic source of Al; and

growing an active layer containing nitrogen by using a nitrogen compound source,

wherein there is provided a step of removing residual Al species, formed of one or more of an Al source, Al reactant, Al compound and Al, from an inner wall of a growth chamber, by conducting a purging process while maintaining a temperature of a susceptor used to hold a substrate higher than a susceptor temperature during a growth of said active layer containing nitrogen and further by flowing a side-flow gas along said susceptor, after growth of said semiconductor layer containing Al but before growing said active layer containing nitrogen.

70. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device comprising a substrate, an active layer containing nitrogen and a semiconductor layer containing Al provided between said substrate and said active layer, said method comprising the steps of:

growing a semiconductor layer containing Al by using a metal organic source of Al; and

growing an active layer containing nitrogen by using a nitrogen compound source,

wherein there is provided a step of changing a susceptor, which has been used for holding a substrate in said step of growing said semiconductor layer containing Al, with a different susceptor in said step of growing said active layer containing nitrogen.

71. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device comprising a substrate, an active layer containing nitrogen and a semiconductor layer containing Al provided between said substrate and said active layer, said method comprising the steps of:

growing a semiconductor layer containing Al by using a metal organic source of Al and by using a first susceptor; and

growing an active layer containing nitrogen by using a nitrogen compound source and by using a second susceptor,

wherein said first susceptor and said second susceptor are different.

72. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 71, wherein said first susceptor used for growing said active layer containing nitrogen is placed in a chamber different from said growth chamber during said step of growing said semiconductor layer containing Al and exchanging said second susceptor used in said step of growing said semiconductor layer containing Al with said first susceptor after an end of said step of growing said semiconductor layer containing Al, without exposing to the atmosphere.

73. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device comprising a substrate, an active layer containing nitrogen and a semiconductor layer containing Al provided between said substrate and said active layer, said method comprising the steps of:

growing a semiconductor layer containing Al on a susceptor by using a metal organic source of Al; and

growing an active layer containing nitrogen on said susceptor by using a nitrogen compound source,

wherein said susceptor has a removable cover such that said removable cover covers said susceptor excluding a part directly holding a substrate, and wherein said step of growing said semiconductor layer containing Al is conducted in the state that said cover is provided, and

said step of growing said active layer containing nitrogen is conducted in the state in which said cover is removed.

74-75. -75. (Cancelled)

76. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device, comprising:

a semiconductor layer containing Al between a substrate and a group III-V compound semiconductor film containing nitrogen,

wherein there is provided a step of vacuum-evacuating at least one of an Al source supply line and a reaction chamber before a growth of said group III-V compound semiconductor film.

77. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 76, wherein there is provided a step of measuring a concentration of residual Al species during said step of vacuum-evacuating at least one of said metal organic Al source and said growth chamber, at a location between said supply line of said metal organic source of Al and a vacuum pump.

78. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 76, wherein at least one source of said group III-V compound semiconductor film containing nitrogen contains hydrazines.

79. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 77, wherein at least one source of said group Ill-V compound semiconductor film containing nitrogen contains hydrazines.

80. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device having a semiconductor layer containing nitrogen between a substrate and an active layer containing nitrogen,

wherein said semiconductor light-emitting device is grown by supplying a source gas to a reaction chamber in which a substrate is provided, said active layer containing nitrogen and said semiconductor layer containing nitrogen are grown respectively by using a nitrogen compound source and a metal organic source of Al, group III sources supplied to said reaction chamber for growing said semiconductor layer containing Al and said active layer containing nitrogen are supplied via respective different gas lines.

81-82. -82. (Cancelled)

83. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device comprising a lower surrounding layer between a substrate and a Group Ill-V compound semiconductor layer containing nitrogen, said lower surrounding layer being formed primarily of GatIn1-tPuAs1-u (0≦

t≦

1, 0≦

u≦

1),

wherein an organic Al source is introduced into a reaction chamber during or before a growth of said surrounding layer.

84. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 83, wherein said lower surrounding layer at least contains a lower cladding layer and a lower optical guide layer, and wherein said organic Al source is introduced into said growth chamber before or during or after a growth of said lower cladding layer but before a growth of said lower optical guide layer.

85. A method as claimed in claim 84, wherein said lower optical guide layer is GaAs.

86. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device having a semiconductor layer containing Al between a substrate and an active layer containing nitrogen, said method comprising the steps of:

growing a semiconductor layer containing Al by using a metal organic source of Al; and

growing an active layer containing nitrogen by using a nitrogen compound source,

wherein there is provided a step of removing residual Al species, formed of one or more of an Al source, Al reactant, Al compound and Al, remaining in a growth chamber by an etching gas, after a growth of said semiconductor layer containing Al but before starting a growth of said active layer containing nitrogen.

87. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 86, wherein said step of removing said residual Al species remaining in said growth chamber by said etching gas is conducted by supplying an organic nitrogen compound gas into said growth chamber.

88. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 86, wherein the step of removing said residual Al species remaining in said growth chamber is conducted by supplying a gas containing oxygen into said growth chamber.

89. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 86, wherein there is provided a step of forming a GaxIn1-xPyAs (0<

x≦

1, 0<

y≦

1) layer between said semiconductor layer containing Al and said active layer containing nitrogen.

90. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 89, wherein said semiconductor light-emitting device is a surface-emission type semiconductor light-emitting device, said semiconductor layer containing Al forming a distributed Bragg reflector, and wherein said step of removing said residual Al species by said etching gas is conducted during a growth process of said distributed Bragg reflector.

114. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 86, wherein said semiconductor light-emitting device is a surface-emission type semiconductor light-emitting device having an optical cavity defined by a pair of distributed Bragg reflectors, said semiconductor layer containing Al forming one of said distributed Bragg reflectors, and wherein said step of removing said residual Al species by said etching gas is conducted during a growth process of said optical cavity.

91-95. -95. (Cancelled)

96. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device comprising a substrate, an active layer containing nitrogen and a semiconductor layer containing Al and provided between said substrate and said active layer,

wherein there is provided a step of removing residual Al species, formed of one or more of an Al source, Al reactant, Al compound and Al and remaining in a growth chamber, by supplying a chlorine compound gas into said growth chamber as an etching gas, after a start of growth of said semiconductor layer containing Al but before a growth of an active layer containing nitrogen.

97. A semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 96, wherein said step of removing said residual Al species remaining in said growth chamber is conducted by interrupting a growth of said semiconductor light-emitting device and by moving a substrate of said semiconductor light-emitting device from said growth chamber to an exterior thereof.

98. A method of producing a semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 96, wherein there is provided a process of growing any of a GaInP layer, a GaPAs layer and a GaInPAs layer after removing said residual Al species remaining in said growth chamber by said chlorine compound gas but before growing said active layer containing nitrogen.

99. A method of producing a surface-emission laser diode having, on a semiconductor substrate, an active region including at least one active layer containing nitrogen and causing optical emission, and an upper reflector and a lower reflector respectively above and below said active layer so as to form a cavity structure therebetween,

said lower reflector having a semiconductor distributed Bragg reflector in which there is formed a periodical change of refractive index and reflecting an incident light by optical interference,

a layer of lower refractive index of said semiconductor distributed Bragg reflector being formed of AlxGa1-xAs (0<

x≦

1), a layer of higher refractive index of said semiconductor distributed Bragg reflector being formed of AlyGa1-yAs (0≦

y<

x≦

1),

wherein there is a step of removing residual Al species formed of one or more of an Al source, Al reactant, Al compound and Al remaining in a growth chamber after growing said lower reflector containing Al but before growing said active layer containing nitrogen, by supplying a chlorine compound gas to said growth chamber as an etching gas.

100. A method of producing a surface-emission laser diode as claimed in claim 99, wherein there is formed one of a GaInP layer, a GaPAs layer and a GaInPAs layer after removing said residual Al species by said chlorine compound gas but before growing said active layer containing nitrogen, and said step of removing by said etching gas is conducted while growing said semiconductor Bragg reflector.

101. A method of producing a surface-emission laser diode as claimed in claim 99, wherein there is formed one of a GaInP layer, a GaPAs layer and a GaInPAs layer after removing said residual Al species by said chlorine compound gas but before growing said active layer containing nitrogen, and said step of removing by said etching gas is conducted while growing a cavity structure.

102. A semiconductor light-emitting device, comprising:

a substrate;

an active layer containing nitrogen; and

a semiconductor layer containing Al interposed betweens said substrate and said active layer,

a concentration level of an impurity element forming a non-optical recombination level in said active layer being set to a level such that said semiconductor light-emitting device can cause a continuous laser oscillation at room temperature.

103. A semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 102, wherein there is provided an intermediate layer between said semiconductor layer and said active layer, and wherein said impurity concentration level of said active layer is equal to or smaller than an impurity concentration level of said impurity element in said intermediate layer.

104. A semiconductor light-emitting device, comprising:

a substrate;

an active layer containing nitrogen;

a semiconductor layer containing Al provided between said substrate and said active layer,

a concentration level of oxygen in said active layer being set to a level such that said semiconductor light-emitting device can cause a continuous laser oscillation at room temperature.

105. A semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 104, wherein there is provided an intermediate layer between said semiconductor layer and said active layer, said oxygen concentration level in said active layer being equal to or smaller than an oxygen concentration level of said intermediate layer.

106. A semiconductor light-emitting device, comprising:

a substrate;

an active layer containing therein nitrogen; and

a semiconductor layer containing therein Al provided between said substrate and said active layer,

wherein an oxygen concentration level of said active layer is set to be less than 1.5×

1018 cm−

3.

107. A semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 106, wherein there is provided an intermediate layer between said semiconductor layer and said active layer, said oxygen concentration layer of said active layer is 3×

1017 cm−

3 or less.

108. A semiconductor light-emitting device, comprising:

a substrate;

an active layer containing nitrogen;

a semiconductor layer containing Al provided between said substrate and said active layer,

wherein an Al concentration level of said active layer is set to a level such that said semiconductor light-emitting device can cause a continuous laser oscillation at room temperature.

109. A semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 108, wherein there is provided an intermediate layer between said semiconductor layer and said active layer, said concentration level of Al in said active layer is equal to or smaller than a concentration level of Al of said intermediate layer.

110. A semiconductor light-emitting device, comprising:

a substrate;

an active layer containing nitrogen;

a semiconductor layer containing Al provided between said substrate and said active layer,

wherein said active layer contains Al with a concentration level of less than 2×

1019 cm−

3.

111. A semiconductor light-emitting device as claimed in claim 110,

wherein there is provided an intermediate layer between said semiconductor layer and said active layer, said concentration level of Al of said active layer is 1.5×

1018 cm−

3 or less.

112. A semiconductor light-emitting device having a substrate, an active layer containing nitrogen and a semiconductor layer containing Al provided between said substrate and said active layer,

wherein there is provided a semiconductor layer containing nitrogen between said semiconductor layer containing Al and said active layer containing nitrogen,

said semiconductor layer containing Al constituting a distributed Bragg reflector, said semiconductor light-emitting device being a surface-emission type laser diode device emitting an optical beam perpendicularly to a substrate surface.

113. A semiconductor light-emitting device comprising a substrate, an active layer containing nitrogen and a semiconductor layer containing Al between said substrate and said active layer containing nitrogen,

wherein there is formed a semiconductor layer containing nitrogen between said semiconductor layer containing Al and said active layer containing nitrogen;

said semiconductor layer containing Al constituting a distributed Bragg reflector, said semiconductor light-emitting device being a surface-emission type laser diode device emitting an optical beam perpendicularly to a substrate surface.