LIGHT EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE HAVING AN ELECTRICAL CONFINEMENT BARRIER NEAR THE ACTIVE REGION
First Claim
1. A light emitting semiconductor device comprising a Ill-V semiconductor material and having improved electrical confinement in the active region, comprising:
- an active region;
an electrical confining layer positioned adjacent the active region, the confining layer comprising;
a spacer layer;
a confinement barrier positioned between the spacer layer and the active region and having a thickness that is in a range from about 2 nm to about 50 nm, the confinement barrier having an aluminum content greater than that of the spacer layer, thereby creating a spike in the aluminum content near the active region.
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Abstract
Light emitting semiconductor devices such as VCSELs, SELs, and LEDs are manufactured to have a thin electrical confinement barrier in a confining layer near the active region of the device. The thin confinement barrier comprises a III-V semiconductor material having a high aluminum content (e.g. 80%-100% of the type III material). The aluminum content of the adjacent spacer layer is lower than that of the confinement barrier. In one embodiment the spacer layer has an aluminum content of less than 40% and a direct bandgap. The aluminum profile reduces series resistance and improves the efficiency of the semiconductor device.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A light emitting semiconductor device comprising a Ill-V semiconductor material and having improved electrical confinement in the active region, comprising:
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an active region;
an electrical confining layer positioned adjacent the active region, the confining layer comprising;
a spacer layer;
a confinement barrier positioned between the spacer layer and the active region and having a thickness that is in a range from about 2 nm to about 50 nm, the confinement barrier having an aluminum content greater than that of the spacer layer, thereby creating a spike in the aluminum content near the active region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A semiconductor device having a confinement barrier to improve electron confinement in the active region, comprising:
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a substrate; and
an epitaxial structure deposited on the substrate, the epitaxial structure comprising;
a bottom mirror and an upper mirror;
an active region between the bottom mirror and the upper mirror;
a confining layer comprising a Ill-V semiconductor material and being positioned adjacent the active region, the confining layer having, a spacer layer;
a confinement barrier positioned between the active region and the spacer layer, the confinement barrier having an aluminum content and a dopant level that is greater than that of the spacer layer. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A III-V semiconductor device having a confinement barrier to improve electron confinement in the active region, comprising:
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a substrate; and
an epitaxial structure deposited on the substrate, the epitaxial structure comprising;
a bottom mirror and an upper mirror;
an active region between the bottom mirror and the upper mirror;
a first confining layer above the active region, the confining layer comprising a first confinement barrier, the first confinement barrier having a thickness in a range from about 2 nm to about 50 nm, an aluminum content in a range from about 60% to about 100%, and a dopant level in a range of about 5×
1017/cm3 to about 6×
1018/cm3, and wherein the aluminum content and dopant level of the first confinement barrier is greater than that of the material directly above the first confinement barrier; and
a second confining layer below the active region, the second confining layer comprising a second confinement barrier, the confinement barrier having a thickness in a range from about 2 nm to about 50 nm, an aluminum content in a range from about 60% to about 100%, and a dopant level in a range of about 5×
1017/cm3 to about 1×
1019/cm3, and wherein the aluminum content and dopant level of the confinement barrier is greater than that of the layer directly below the second confinement barrier. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification