Nitride semiconductor light-emitting device and method for fabrication thereof

• US 20060192247A1
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Showa Denko KK
• Inventors: Urashima, Yasuhito, Kusunoki, Katsuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,652,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/324
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate

Abstract

A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device includes a substrate and a nitride semiconductor layer including a light-emitting layer stacked on the substrate, wherein a normal line relative to a lateral face of the nitride semiconductor layer is not perpendicular to a normal line relative to a principal plane of the substrate. A method for the production of a nitride semiconductor light-emitting device that includes a substrate and a nitride semiconductor layer including a light-emitting layer stacked on the substrate includes the steps of covering a first surface of the nitride semiconductor layer with a mask provided with a prescribed pattern, removing the nitride semiconductor layer in regions to be divided into component devices till the substrate, subjecting the nitride semiconductor layer to wet-etching treatment and dividing the nitride semiconductor layer into the component devices.

Claims

1. A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device comprising a substrate and a nitride semiconductor layer including a light-emitting layer stacked on the substrate, wherein a normal line relative to at least a lateral face of the nitride semiconductor layer between the substrate and the light-emitting layer and a normal line relative to a surface of the nitride semiconductor layer form an angle θ

larger than 90 degrees.

2. A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the lateral face of the nitride semiconductor layer excludes the light-emitting layer.

3. A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the nitride semiconductor layer has a lateral face between itself and the light-emitting layer made perpendicular.

4. A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the angle θ

is 95 degrees or more and 170 degrees or less.

5. A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the angle θ

is 100 degrees or more and 160 degrees or less.

6. A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 2, wherein the nitride semiconductor layer has a thickness in a range of 1 to 20 μ

m.

7. A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is formed of sapphire.

8. A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is formed of silicon carbide.

9. A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the nitride semiconductor layer has a surface having a (0001) face as a principal face.

10. A method for the production of a nitride semiconductor light-emitting device that comprises a substrate and a nitride semiconductor layer including a light-emitting layer stacked on the substrate, comprising the steps of covering a first surface of the nitride semiconductor layer with a mask provided with a prescribed pattern, removing the nitride semiconductor layer in regions to be divided into component devices till the substrate, subjecting the nitride semiconductor layer to wet-etching treatment and dividing the nitride semiconductor layer into the component devices.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the substrate is formed of sapphire.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the substrate is formed of silicon carbide.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the mask is a photoresist.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein the step of removing the nitride semiconductor layer is performed by means of a laser.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein the step of removing the nitride semiconductor layer is performed by means of dry etching.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein the step of removing the nitride semiconductor layer is performed by means of a dicer.

17. A method according to claim 10, wherein the wet etching treatment is performed by use of orthophosphoric acid.