NITRIDE SEMICONDUCTOR LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR FABRICATING THE SAME

• US 20080179605A1
• Filed: 11/08/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: TAKASE, Yuji, Ueda, Tetsuzo, Tanaka, Tsuyoshi, Ueda, Daisuke
• Application Number:
  US11/937,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20080179605A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/94
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0093 Wafer bonding; Removal of the growth substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/105 with a resonant cavity structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/145 with a current-blocking structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/465 with a resonant cavity structure

Abstract

A nitride semiconductor light emitting device includes: a dielectric layered film over a substrate, the dielectric layered film being formed by stacking a plurality of dielectric films having different compositions; a semiconductor thin film formed of a single crystal over the dielectric layered film; and a pn junction diode structure over the semiconductor thin film, the pn junction diode structure being formed of a nitride semiconductor.

Claims

1. A nitride semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

a dielectric layered film over a substrate, the dielectric layered film being formed by stacking a plurality of dielectric films having different compositions;

a semiconductor thin film formed of a single crystal over the dielectric layered film; and

a pn junction diode structure over the semiconductor thin film, the pn junction diode structure being formed of a nitride semiconductor.

2. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor thin film is made of silicon, silicon carbide, or gallium nitride.

3. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 1, wherein

part of the dielectric layered film is formed by alternately stacking first dielectric films and second dielectric films having different compositions;

and

each of the first dielectric films and the second dielectric films has a film thickness of ¼

of an optical wavelength corresponding to an emitted light wavelength.

4. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 1, wherein

the dielectric layered film partially includes a glass-like film, and

a temperature for liquefaction of the glass-like film is lower than a temperature for liquefaction of silicon oxide.

5. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 4, wherein the glass-like film includes at least one of PSG (Phospho Silicate Glass) and BPSG (Boro Phospho Silicate Glass).

6. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device claim 1, wherein the dielectric layered film has a conductive member made of a metal, the conductive member passing through the dielectric layered film and being electrically connected to the substrate.

7. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 1, further comprising a first reflection film over a surface of the pn junction diode structure opposite to the dielectric layered film, the first reflection film facing the dielectric layered film.

8. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 1, wherein on a side surface of the dielectric layered film, electrode wiring electrically connecting the pn junction diode structure with the substrate is provided.

9. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 7, wherein

the first reflection film is formed by alternately stacking third dielectric films and fourth dielectric films having different compositions, and

each of the third dielectric films and the fourth dielectric films has a film thickness of ¼

of an optical wavelength corresponding to an emitted light wavelength.

10. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 9, wherein

part of the first reflection film is formed of a conductive film being transparent to the emitted light wavelength, and

part of the conductive film is in contact with the nitride semiconductor.

11. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 7, wherein

the first reflection film is formed by alternately stacking first nitride semiconductor films and second nitride semiconductor films having different compositions, and

each of the first nitride semiconductor films and the second nitride semiconductor films has a film thickness of ¼

of an optical wavelength corresponding to an emitted light wavelength.

12. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 11, wherein

the first nitride semiconductor film is made of GaN, and

the second nitride semiconductor film is made of Al_xIn_yGa_1-x-yN (where 0≦

x≦

1, 0≦

y≦

1, and x+y<

1).

13. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 11, further comprising a second reflection film over the first reflection film,

wherein the second reflection film is formed by alternately stacking third dielectric films and fourth dielectric films having different compositions, and

each of the third dielectric films and the fourth dielectric films has a film thickness of ¼

of the optical wavelength corresponding to the emitted light wavelength.

14. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 11, further comprising a current confinement layer in the pn junction diode structure under the first reflection film, the current confinement layer having an opening which opens in a direction vertical to a substrate surface.

15. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 14, wherein the current confinement layer is covered with GaN.

16. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 7, further comprising a third reflection film between the dielectric layered film and the pn junction diode structure,

wherein the third reflection film is formed by alternately stacking third nitride semiconductor films and fourth nitride semiconductor films having different compositions, and

each of the third nitride semiconductor films and the fourth nitride semiconductor films has a film thickness of ¼

of an optical wavelength corresponding to an emitted light wavelength.

17. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 7, wherein the semiconductor thin film is transparent to an emitted light wavelength.

18. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 17, wherein the semiconductor thin film is formed of a mixed crystal of silicon carbide and aluminum nitride.

19. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device of claim 7, wherein

the pn junction diode structure partially forms a resonator, and

the resonator is in contact with a p-side electrode or an n-side electrode.

20. A method for fabricating a nitride semiconductor light emitting device comprising the steps of:

(a) alternately stacking a plurality of dielectric films having different compositions over a substrate to form a dielectric layered film;

(b) bonding a semiconductor thin film formed of a single crystal to the dielectric layered film; and

(c) forming a pn junction diode structure formed of a nitride semiconductor over the semiconductor thin film.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein each of the dielectric films has a film thickness of ¼

of an optical wavelength corresponding to an emitted light wavelength.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein step (b) includes:

a first step of preparing a semiconductor substrate having a hydrogen injection region where ions of hydrogen are injected to a predetermined depth in a whole area of a principal surface of the semiconductor substrate;

a second step of bonding the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate to the dielectric layered film; and

a third step of heating the semiconductor substrate bonded to the dielectric layered film to peel off the semiconductor substrate at the hydrogen injection region.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the semiconductor thin film is made of silicon.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein

the semiconductor substrate is made of silicon;

and

the first step includes subjecting the semiconductor substrate to a hydrocarbon gas such that a region of the semiconductor substrate for forming the semiconductor thin film is converted to silicon carbide.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein

step (a) includes forming a glass-like film in a lower or upper portion of the dielectric layered film, and

step (c) includes performing crystal growth of the nitride semiconductor at a temperature higher than a temperature for liquefaction of the glass-like film.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the glass-like film includes at least one of PSG (Phospho Silicate Glass) and BPSG (Boro Phospho Silicate Glass).