Optical semiconductor device

• US 5,281,831 A
• Filed: 10/30/1991
• Issued: 01/25/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujimoto, Hidetoshi, Mitsuhashi, Hiroshi, Uemoto, Tsutomu, Kamata, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): JACKSON JR, JEROME
• Application Number:
  US07/784,706
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 357/17, 357/61, 257/102, 257/86, 257/103, 257/607
• US Class Current: 257/102
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3036 SiC
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/305 characterised by the doping materials used in the laser structure

Abstract

AlN is added to a SiC light emitting layer of an optical semiconductor device in a molecular state, and an association of AlN is formed between crystal lattice points, which are close to each other in said light emitting layer. Said association is largely different from said SiC in degree of electron negativity so that said association traps a carrier in said light emitting layer, and forms an exciton.

Claims

1. An optical semiconductor device wherein dopant molecules comprising a group II atoms and a group VI atom are added to a semiconductor light emitting layer so as to form associations, each of which associations correspond to each of the dopant molecules added and consists of the group II atoms and the group VI atom located on crystal lattice points in close proximity to each other in the light emitting layer, wherein the electron negativity of said associations is different from that of semiconductor forming the light emitting layer such that each association constitutes an isoelectronic trap and forms an exciton in the light emitting layer, and wherein said group II atoms and said group VI atom in said dopant molecules are chemically bonded to each other, and further wherein the number of the II and VI group atoms of said dopant molecules in said semiconductor light emitting layer is 1×

10¹⁶ /cm³ to 1×

10²⁰ /cm³.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor light emitting layer is a compound semiconductor.

3. The device according of claim 2, wherein said semiconductor light emitting layer is formed from two kinds of group IV atoms.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said semiconductor light emitting layer is formed of SiC.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein said associations are selected from the group of II-VI atom pairs consisting of BeO, MgO, MgS, ZnO, ZnS, ZnSe, ZnTe, CdO, CdS, CdSe, and Cdte.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor light emitting layer is formed of a single kind of group IV atom.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein said semiconductor light emitting layer is formed of diamond.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein said associations are selected from the group of II-VI atom pairs consisting of BeO, MgO, MgS, ZnO, ZnS, ZnSe, ZnTe, CdO, CdS, CdSe, and CdTe.

9. The device according to claim 2, wherein said semiconductor light emitting layer is formed of BN.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein said dopant is formed of CdSe.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor light emitting layer is a compound semiconductor.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein said semiconductor light emitting layer is formed of two kinds of group IV atoms.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein said semiconductor light emitting layer is formed of SiC.

15. The device according to claim 13, wherein said associations are selected from the group of III-V atom pairs consisting of BN, AlN, AlP, AlAs, AlSb, GaN, GaP, GaAs, and GaSb.

19. The device according to claim 1, wherein said group II atom and said group VI atom of said associations are located on crystal lattice points which are adjacent to one another in the light emitting layer.

11. An optical semiconductor device wherein dopant molecules comprising a group III atoms and a group V atom are added to a semiconductor light emitting layer so as to form associations, each of which associations correspond to each of the dopant molecules added and consists of the group III atom and the group V atom located on crystal lattice points in close proximity to each other in the light emitting layer, wherein the electron engativity of said associations is different from that of semiconductor forming the light emitting layer such that each association constitutes an isoelectronic trap and forms an exciton in the light emitting layer, and wherein said group III atom and said group V atom in said dopant molecules are chemically bonded to each other, and further wherein the number of the III and V group atoms of said dopant molecules in said semiconductor light emitting layer is 1×

10¹⁶ /cm³ l to 1×

10²⁰ /cm³.

16. The device according to claim 11, wherein said semiconductor light emitting layer is formed of a single kind of group IV atom.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein said semiconductor light emitting layer is formed of diamond.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein said associations are selected from the group of III-V atom pairs consisting of BN, AlN, AlP, AlAs, AlSb, GaN, GaP, GaAs, and GaSb.

20. The device according to claim 11, wherein said group III atom and said group V atom of said associations are located on crystal lattice points which are adjacent to one another in the light emitting layer.