Nitride-based semiconductor light emitting device and manufacturing method thereof

• US 20060267033A1
• Filed: 07/27/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• 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, Koide, Norikatsu, Fudeta, Mayuko, Kimura, Daigaku
• Granted Patent: US 7,939,349 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

the reflective layer contacts the p-type nitride-based semiconductor layer;

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

wherein the reflective layer is in ohmic contact with the p-type nitride-based semiconductor layer, and the reflective layer is formed of;

a p-type-use electrode comprising Pd or Ag, or a p-type-use electrode formed of a stack of Pd and Au, or a p-type-use electrode formed of a stack of Ag and Au, or a p-type use electrode formed of a stack of Pd, Ag and Au; and

a nitride-based semiconductor layer represented by In_aGa_1-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_1-aN (0<

a≦

1) is said light extracting surface.

2. The nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 wherein a maximum thickness of said nitride-based semiconductor layer represented by In_aGa_1-aN (0<

a≦

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

9. 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.

10. The method of manufacturing the nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 9 wherein the irregularities of said light extracting surface are formed through regrowth of said n-type nitride-based semiconductor layer.

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

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

3. 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

the reflective layer contacts the p-type nitride-based semiconductor layer;

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

wherein the reflective layer is in ohmic contact with the p-type nitride-based semiconductor layer, and the reflective layer is formed of;

a p-type-use electrode comprising Pd or Ag, or a p-type-use electrode formed of a stack of Pd and Au, or a p-type-use electrode formed of a stack of Ag and Au, or a p-type use electrode formed of a stack of Pd, Ag and Au; and

a silicon-doped nitride-based semiconductor layer represented by In_aGa_1-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>.

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

a reflective layer formed on a support substrate, said support substrate formed by one of nickel provided by nickel plating, a metal provided by metal plating, Au, an alloy of Au and Sn, and an electrically-conductive semiconductor;

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;

the reflective layer is in ohmic contact with the p-type nitride-based semiconductor layer, and the reflective layer is formed of;

a p-type-use electrode comprising Pd or Ag, or a p-type-use electrode formed of a stack of Pd and Au, or a p-type-use electrode formed of a stack of Ag and Au, or a p-type use electrode formed of a stack of Pd, Ag and Au; and

a nitride-based semiconductor layer represented by In_aGa_1-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_1-aN (0<

a≦

1) is said light extracting surface.

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

a reflective layer formed on a support substrate, said support substrate formed by one of nickel provided by nickel plating, a metal provided by metal plating, Au, an alloy of Au and Sn, and an electrically-conductive semiconductor;

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;

the reflective layer is in ohmic contact with the p-type nitride-based semiconductor layer, and the reflective layer is formed of;

a p-type-use electrode comprising Pd or Ag, or a p-type-use electrode formed of a stack of Pd and Au, or a p-type-use electrode formed of a stack of Ag and Au, or a p-type use electrode formed of a stack of Pd, Ag and Au; and

a silicon-doped nitride-based semiconductor layer represented by In_aGa_1-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. 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;

a translucent electrode formed on said light extracting surface, wherein said electrode is formed of a metal selected from a group consisting of aluminum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, and indium-tin oxide;

wherein the reflective layer is in ohmic contact with the p-type nitride-based semiconductor layer, and the reflective layer is formed of;

a p-type-use electrode comprising Pd or Ag, or a p-type-use electrode formed of a stack of Pd and Au, or a p-type-use electrode formed of a stack of Ag and Au, or a p-type use electrode formed of a stack of Pd, Ag and Au; and

a nitride-based semiconductor layer represented by In_aGa_1-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_1-aN (0<

a≦

1) is said light extracting surface.

7. 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;

a translucent electrode formed on said light extracting surface, wherein said electrode is formed of a metal selected from a group consisting of aluminum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, and indium-tin oxide;

wherein the reflective layer is in ohmic contact with the p-type nitride-based semiconductor layer, and the reflective layer is formed of;

a p-type-use electrode comprising Pd or Ag, or a p-type-use electrode formed of a stack of Pd and Au, or a p-type-use electrode formed of a stack of Ag and Au, or a p-type use electrode formed of a stack of Pd, Ag and Au; and

a silicon-doped nitride-based semiconductor layer represented by In_aGa_1-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>.

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

a reflective layer formed on an electrically conductive 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;

wherein the reflective layer is in ohmic contact with the p-type nitride-based semiconductor layer, and the reflective layer is formed of;

a p-type-use electrode comprising Pd or Ag, or a p-type-use electrode formed of a stack of Pd and Au, or a p-type-use electrode formed of a stack of Ag and Au, or a p-type use electrode formed of a stack of Pd, Ag and Au; and

an n-type GaN layer is formed on the n-type nitride-based semiconductor layer, and an upper surface of said n-type GaN layer is said light extracting surface.