Semiconductor light emitting diode having high efficiency and method of manufacturing the same

• US 20060118803A1
• Filed: 12/06/2005
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Jeong-wook, Sung, Youn-joon
• Granted Patent: US 7,642,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/98
• 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 33/22 Roughened surfaces, e.g. at the interface between epitaxial layers

Abstract

Provided is a semiconductor light emitting diode having a textured structure formed on a substrate. In a method of manufacturing the semiconductor light emitting diode, a metal layer is formed on the substrate, and a metal oxide layer having holes is formed by anodizing the metal layer. The metal oxide layer itself can be used as a textured structure pattern, or the textured structure pattern can be formed by forming holes in the substrate or a material layer under the metal oxide layer corresponding to the holes of the metal oxide layer. The manufacture of the semiconductor light emitting diode is completed by sequentially forming a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer on the textured structure pattern.

Claims

1. A semiconductor light emitting diode having a textured structure, comprising:

a substrate;

a textured structure layer of an anodized metal oxide located on the substrate;

a first semiconductor layer located on the textured structure;

an active layer located on the first semiconductor layer; and

a second semiconductor layer located on the active layer on a side opposite to the semiconductor layer.

2. The semiconductor light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein the substrate is formed of one selected from an inorganic crystal that includes sapphire (Al₂O₃), silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), spinel (MgAl₂O₄), NdGaO₃, LiGaO₂, ZnO, or MgO, an III-V group compound semiconductor that includes GaP or GaAs, and an III group nitride compound semiconductor that includes GaN.

3. The semiconductor light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor layer, the active layer, and the second semiconductor layer comprise a nitride semiconductor.

4. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting diode, comprising:

sequentially forming a material layer and a metal layer on a substrate;

forming a metal oxide layer having holes by anodizing the metal layer;

forming holes in the material layer corresponding to the holes of the metal oxide layer;

removing the metal oxide layer; and

sequentially forming a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer on an upper part of the material layer with holes formed therein on the substrate after the metal oxide layer is removed.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the substrate is formed of one selected from an inorganic crystal that includes sapphire (Al₂O₃), silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), spinel (MgAl₂O₄), NdGaO₃, LiGaO₂, ZnO, or MgO, an III-V group compound semiconductor that includes GaP or GaAs, and an III group nitride compound semiconductor that includes GaN.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the material layer is formed of one of a transparent insulating material and a transparent conductive material having a refractive index smaller than 2.5.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transparent insulating material comprises at least one material selected from SiO₂, SiN_x, Al₂O₃, HfO, TiO₂, and ZrO.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the transparent conductive material comprises at least one material selected from ZnO and In oxide including an additive selected from Mg, Ag, Zn, Sc, Hf, Zr, Te, Se, Ta, W, Nb, Cu, Si, Ni, Co, Mo, and Cr.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the metal layer is formed of Al.

10. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting diode having a textured structure, the method comprising:

forming a metal layer on a substrate;

forming a metal oxide layer having holes by anodizing the metal layer;

forming holes in the substrate corresponding to the holes of the metal oxide layer; and

sequentially forming a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer on an upper part of the substrate after the metal oxide layer is removed.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the substrate is formed of one selected from an inorganic crystal that includes sapphire (Al₂O₃), silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), spinel (MgAl₂O₄), NdGaO₃, LiGaO₂, ZnO, or MgO, an III-V group compound semiconductor that includes GaP or GaAs, and an III group nitride compound semiconductor that includes GaN.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the metal layer is formed of a material including Al.

13. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting diode having a textured structure, the method comprising:

forming a metal layer on a substrate;

forming a metal oxide layer having holes by anodizing the metal layer; and

sequentially forming a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer on the metal oxide layer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the substrate is formed of one selected from an inorganic crystal that includes sapphire (Al₂O₃), silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), spinel (MgAl₂O₄), NdGaO₃, LiGaO₂, ZnO, or MgO, an III-V group compound semiconductor that includes GaP or GaAs, and an III group nitride compound semiconductor that includes GaN.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising leveling the metal oxide layer to have a uniform upper surface;

and sequentially forming a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and an second semiconductor layer on the metal oxide layer.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the metal layer is formed of a material including Al.