Semiconductor light emitting diode and method of manufacturing the same

• US 20070267640A1
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Oh, Jeong Tak, Lee, Jae Hoon, Choi, Seok Beom, Lee, Su Yeol, Choi, Hee Seok
• Application Number:
  US11/436,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20070267640A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/94
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0083 Periodic patterns for optical field-shaping in or on the semiconductor body or semiconductor body package, e.g. photonic bandgap structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/14 with a carrier transport control structure, e.g. highly-doped semiconductor layer or current-blocking structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/22 Roughened surfaces, e.g. at the interface between epitaxial layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/42 Transparent materials

Abstract

The present invention relates to a semiconductor light emitting diode. The semiconductor light emitting diode includes a substrate; an n-type nitride semiconductor layer that is formed on the substrate; an active layer that is formed on the n-type nitride semiconductor layer; a p-type nitride semiconductor layer that is formed on the active layer; a first undoped GaN layer that is formed on the p-type nitride semiconductor layer; an AlGaN layer that is formed on the first undoped GaN layer so as to provide a two-dimensional electron gas layer to the interface with the first undoped GaN layer; a second undoped GaN layer that is formed on the AlGaN layer and has irregularities such that the light generated in the active layer is not internally reflected toward the active layer; a p-type transparent electrode that is formed on the second undoped GaN layer; and an n-type electrode and p-type electrode that are formed to be respectively connected onto the n-type nitride semiconductor layer and the p-type transparent electrode.

Claims

1. A semiconductor light emitting diode comprising:

a substrate;

an n-type nitride semiconductor layer that is formed on the substrate;

an active layer that is formed on the n-type nitride semiconductor layer;

a p-type nitride semiconductor layer that is formed on the active layer;

a first undoped GaN layer that is formed on the p-type nitride semiconductor layer;

an AlGaN layer that is formed on the first undoped GaN layer so as to provide a two-dimensional electron gas layer to the interface with the first undoped GaN layer;

a second undoped GaN layer that is formed on the AlGaN layer and has irregularities such that the light generated in the active layer is not internally reflected toward the active layer;

a p-type transparent electrode that is formed on the second undoped GaN layer; and

an n-type electrode and p-type bonding electrode that are formed to be respectively connected onto the n-type nitride semiconductor layer and the p-type transparent electrode.

2. The semiconductor light emitting diode according to claim 1,

wherein the first undoped GaN layer has a thickness of 50 to 500 Å

.

3. The semiconductor light emitting diode according to claim 1,

wherein the Al content of the AlGaN layer ranges from 10 to 50%.

4. The semiconductor light emitting diode according to claim 1,

wherein the AlGaN layer has a thickness of 50 to 500 Å

.

5. The semiconductor light emitting diode according to claim 1,

wherein the AlGaN layer is an undoped AlGaN layer.

6. The semiconductor light emitting diode according to claim 1,

wherein the AlGaN layer is an AlGaN layer which is doped with an n-type impurity.

7. The semiconductor light emitting diode according to claim 1,

wherein the AlGaN layer contains silicon or oxygen as an impurity.

8. The semiconductor light emitting diode according to claim 1,

wherein the second undoped GaN layer has a thickness of 10 to 10000 Å

.

9. The semiconductor light emitting diode according to claim 1,

wherein the irregularities have a height of 10 to 10000 Å

.

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

forming an n-type nitride semiconductor layer on a substrate;

forming an active layer on the n-type nitride semiconductor layer;

forming a p-type nitride semiconductor layer on the active layer;

mesa-etching portions of the p-type nitride semiconductor layer and the active layer so as to expose a portion of the n-type nitride semiconductor layer;

forming the first undoped GaN layer on the p-type nitride semiconductor layer;

forming an AlGaN layer on the first undoped GaN layer so that a two-dimensional electron gas layer is formed in the interface with the first undoped GaN layer;

forming a second undoped GaN layer on the AlGaN layer;

selectively etching the second undoped GaN layer so as to form irregularities such that the light generated in the active layer is not internally reflected toward the active layer;

forming a p-type transparent electrode on the second undoped GaN layer having the irregularities; and

forming an n-type electrode and p-type bonding electrode on the exposed n-type nitride semiconductor layer and the p-type transparent electrode, respectively.

11. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting diode according to claim 10 further including

annealing the AlGaN layer in an oxygen atmosphere after forming the AlGaN layer.

12. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting diode according to claim 10,

wherein the irregular structure of the second undoped GaN layer is formed through dry etching using plasma.