Semiconductor light emitting element

• US 20050031007A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakatsu, Hiroshi, Kurahashi, Takahisa, Murakami, Tetsurou, Hosoba, Hiroyuki
• Application Number:
  US10/933,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20050031007A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 372/87
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/105 with a resonant cavity structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/30 containing only elements of Group III and Group V of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/38 with a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/42 Transparent materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/46 Reflective coating, e.g. dielectric Bragg reflector

Abstract

Is provided a resonant cavity type light emitting diode having excellent humidity durability and a light output unsaturated even several 10 mA., which is suitable for mass production. The semiconductor light emitting element has a resonator formed by one set of multi-layer reflecting films disposed at a constant distance on a GaAs substrate inclined at an angle of not less than 2 degrees in the direction [011] or [0-1-1] from the plane (100) and a light emitting layer disposed at a loop position of a standing wave in the resonator, wherein a multi-layer reflecting film disposed on the GaAs substrate side is composed of plural layers of Al_xGa_1-xAs (0≦x≦1) and a multi-layer reflecting film disposed on the opposite side of the GaAs substrate is composed of plural layers of Al_yGa_zIn_1-y-zP (0≦y≦1, 0≦z≦1), thereby achieving an improved humidity durability and an increased reflection factor by increasing the number of the reflection layers.

Claims

1. A semiconductor light emitting element, comprising:

a substrate;

a light emitting layer;

a resonator comprising first and second reflecting films disposed on opposite sides of the light emitting layer, wherein the first reflecting film comprises Al_xGa_1-xAs (0≦

x≦

1) and the second reflecting film comprises Al_yGa_zIn_1-y-zP (0≦

y≦

1,0≦

z≦

1);

a contact layer formed on the side of the light emitting layer opposite the side on which the substrate is provided;

an insulating layer formed on the contact layer and provided with an opening therein which exposes a portion of the contact layer; and

a patterned electrode formed on the insulating layer and the exposed portion of the contact layer,

wherein the first reflecting film is disposed on the same side of the light emitting layer as the substrate.

2. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 1, wherein the light emitting layer comprises one or more films of Al_yGa_zIn_1-y-zP (0≦

y≦

1,0≦

z≦

1).

3. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a GaAs substrate having a surface inclined at about 2 degrees in the direction [011] or [0-1-1] from the plane (100).

4. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 1, wherein the resonator has a resonant wavelength of 650 nm.

5. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 1, wherein the length of the resonator is 1.5 times the resonant wavelength of the resonator.

6. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 1, wherein the opening in the insulating layer is circular.

7. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

first and second cladding layers respectively formed on opposite sides of the light emitting layer.

8. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a buffer layer formed between the substrate and the first reflecting film.

9. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second reflecting layer each comprises a distributed Bragg reflector.

10. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 1, incorporated in an optical communication network.

11. A semiconductor light emitting element, comprising:

a substrate;

a light emitting layer;

a resonator comprising first and second reflecting films disposed on opposite sides of the light emitting layer, wherein the first reflecting film comprises Al_xGa_1-xAs (0≦

x≦

1) and the second reflecting film comprises Al_yGa_zIn_1-y-zP (0≦

y≦

1,0≦

z≦

1);

an n-type layer formed on the side of the light emitting layer opposite the side on which the substrate is provided and having an opening formed therein;

a current diffusion layer formed on the n-type layer; and

an electrode formed on the current diffusion layer,

wherein the first reflecting film is disposed on the same side of the light emitting layer as the substrate.

12. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 11, wherein the light emitting layer comprises one or more films of Al_yGa_zIn_1-y-zP (0≦

y≦

1,0≦

z≦

1).

13. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 11, wherein the substrate comprises a GaAs substrate having a surface inclined at about 15 degrees in the direction [011] or [0-1-1] from the plane (100).

14. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 11, wherein the resonator has a resonant wavelength of 650 nm.

15. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 11, wherein the length of the resonator is 1.5 times the resonant wavelength of the resonator.

16. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 11, further comprising:

first and second cladding layers respectively formed on opposite sides of the light emitting layer.

17. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 11, further comprising:

a buffer layer formed between the substrate and the first reflecting film.

18. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 11, wherein the first and second reflecting layer each comprises a distributed Bragg reflector.

19. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 11, incorporated in an optical communication network.

20. A semiconductor light emitting element, comprising:

a substrate;

a light emitting layer;

a resonator comprising first and second reflecting films disposed on opposite sides of the light emitting layer, wherein the first reflecting film comprises Al_xGa_1-xAs (0≦

x≦

1) and the second reflecting film comprises Al_yGa_zIn_1-y-zP (0≦

y≦

1,0≦

z≦

1);

a contact layer formed on the side of the light emitting layer opposite the side on which the substrate is provided;

an insulating layer formed on the contact layer and provided with an opening therein which exposes a portion of the contact layer; and

an ITO film formed on the insulating layer and the exposed portion of the contact layer,

wherein the first reflecting film is disposed on the same side of the light emitting layer as the substrate.

21. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 20, wherein the light emitting layer comprises one or more films of Al_yGa_zIn_1-y-zP (0≦

y≦

1,0≦

z≦

1).

22. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 20, wherein the substrate comprises a GaAs substrate having a surface inclined at about 15 degrees in the direction [011] from the plane (100).

23. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 20, wherein the resonator has a resonant wavelength of 650 nm.

24. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 20, further comprising:

first and second cladding layers respectively formed on opposite sides of the light emitting layer.

25. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 20, further comprising:

a buffer layer formed between the substrate and the first reflecting film.

26. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 20, wherein the first and second reflecting layer each comprises a distributed Bragg reflector.

27. A semiconductor light emitting element as defined in claim 20, incorporated in an optical communication network.