Light-emitting gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor device

• US 5,578,839 A
• Filed: 11/17/1993
• Issued: 11/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nichia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nichia Chemical Industries Limited (Nichia Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Shuji, Iwasa, Naruhito, Mukai, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Prenty, Mark V.
• Application Number:
  US08/153,153
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 257/79, 257/94, 257/96, 257/101, 257/102, 257/103, 257/201, 257/609, 257/613, 257/615
• US Class Current: 257/96
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0025 comprising only AIIIBV compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/025 Physical imperfections, e.g. particular concentration or distribution of impurities
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/325 characterised by the doping materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32341 blue laser based on GaN or GaP

Abstract

A light-emitting gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor device of a double-heterostructure. The double-heterostructure includes a light-emitting layer formed of a low-resistivity In_x Ga_1-x N (0<x<1) compound semiconductor doped with p-type and/or n-type impurity. A first clad layer is joined to one surface of the light-emitting layer and formed of an n-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor having a composition different from the light-emitting layer. A second clad layer is joined to another surface of the light-emitting layer and formed of a low-resistivity, p-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor having a composition different from the light-emitting layer.

Claims

1. A light-emitting gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor device having a double-heterostructure comprising:

a light-emitting layer having first and second major surfaces and formed of a low-resistivity In_x Ga_1-x N, where 0<

x<

1 ductor doped with an impurity;

a first clad layer joined to said first major surface of said light-emitting layer and formed of an n-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor having a composition different from that of said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer; and

a second clad layer joined to said second major surface of said light-emitting layer and formed of a low-resistivity, p-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor having a composition different from that of said compound semiconductor of said light emitting layer;

wherein said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer is of the n-type and is doped with a p-type impurity.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said impurity doped in said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer comprises a p-type impurity including a Group II element and an n-type impurity including a Group IV or VI element.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer is of n-type, doped with an n-type impurity.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said n-type impurity comprises a Group IV or VI element.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said compound semiconductor of said first clad layer is represented by the formula:

Ga_y Al_1-y N, where 0≦

y≦

1.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said compound semiconductor of said second clad layer is represented by the formula:

Ga_z Al_1-z N, where 0≦

z≦

1.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said light-emitting layer has a thickness of 10 Å

to 0.5 μ

m.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said double-heterostructure has an n-type GaN contact layer joined to said first clad layer, and a p-type GaN contact layer joined to said second clad layer.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein 0<

x<

0.5.

10. A light-emitting gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor device having a double-heterostructure comprising:

a light-emitting layer having first and second major surfaces and formed of a low-resistivity, n-type In_x Ga_1-x N, where 0<

x<

1, compound semiconductor doped with at least a p-type impurity;

a first clad layer joined to said first major surface of said light-emitting layer and formed of an n-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor having a composition different from that of said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer; and

a second clad layer joined to said second major surface and formed of a low-resistivity, p-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor having a composition different from that of said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer has an electron carrier concentration of 1×

10¹⁷ to 5×

10²¹ /cm³.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer is doped with not only said p-type impurity but also an n-type impurity.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein said p-type impurity doped in said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of cadmium, zinc, beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein said n-type impurity doped in said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, and tin.

15. The device according to claim 10, wherein said compound semiconductor of said first clad layer is represented by a formula:

Ga_-y Al_1-y N, where 0≦

y≦

1.

16. The device according to claim 10, wherein said compound semiconductor of said second clad layer is represented by a formula:

Ga_z Al_1-z N, where 0≦

z≦

1.

17. The device according to claim 12, wherein said p-type impurity doped in said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer comprises zinc, and said n-type impurity comprises silicon.

18. The device according to claim 10, wherein said double-heterostructure is provided on a substrate through a buffer layer.

19. The device according to claim 10, wherein said double-heterostructure has an n-type GaN contact layer joined to said first clad layer, and a p-type GaN contact layer joined to said second clad layer.

20. The device according to claim 10, wherein 0<

x<

0.5.

21. A light-emitting gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor device having a double-heterostructure comprising:

a light-emitting layer having first and second major surfaces and formed of a low-resistivity, n-type In_x Ga_1-x N, where 0<

x<

1, compound semiconductor doped with an n-type impurity;

a first clad layer joined to said first major surface of said light-emitting layer and formed of an n-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor having a composition different from that of said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer; and

a second clad layer joined to said second major surface of said light-emitting layer and formed of a low-resistivity, p-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor having a composition different from that of said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein said n-type impurity doped in said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer comprises silicon or germanium.

23. The device according to claim 21, wherein said n-type impurity doped in said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer comprises silicon, and a concentration of the silicon is 1×

10¹⁷ to 1×

10²¹ /cm³.

24. The device according to claim 21, wherein said compound semiconductor of said first clad layer is represented by a formula:

Ga_y Al_1-y N, where 0≦

y≦

1.

25. The device according to claim 21, wherein said compound semiconductor of said second clad layer is represented by a formula:

Ga_z Al_1-z N, where 0≦

z≦

1.

26. The device according to claim 21, wherein said light-emitting layer has a thickness of 10 Å

to 0.5 μ

m.

27. The device according to claim 21, wherein said compound semiconductor of said second clad layer is doped with a p-type impurity comprising magnesium, and a concentration of the magnesium is 1×

10¹⁸ to 1×

10²¹ /cm³.

28. The device according to claim 21, wherein said second clad layer has a thickness of 0.05 to 1.5 μ

m.

29. A device according to claim 21, wherein said double-heterostructure is provided on a substrate through a buffer layer.

30. The device according to claim 21, wherein said double-heterostructure has an n-type GaN contact layer joined to said first clad layer, and a p-type GaN contact layer joined to said second clad layer.

31. The device according to claim 21, wherein 0<

x<

0.5.

32. A light-emitting gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor device having a double-heterostructure comprising:

a light-emitting layer having first and second surfaces and comprising a low-resistivity III-V Group gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor containing indium, gallium and nitrogen and doped with an impurity;

a first clad layer joined to said first surface of said light-emitting layer and comprising an n-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor having a composition different from that of said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer; and

a second clad layer joined to said second surface of said light-emitting layer and comprising a low-resistivity p-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor having a composition different from that of said compound semiconductor of said light-emitting layer;

wherein said light-emitting layer is n-type.

33. The device according to claim 32, wherein said second clad layer is doped with magnesium in a concentration of 1×

10¹⁸ to 1×

10²¹ /cm³.

34. The device according to claim 32, wherein said light-emitting layer is doped with both p-type and n-type impurities.

35. The device according to claim 34, wherein said p-type impurity doped in said light-emitting layer comprises zinc, and said n-type impurity comprises silicon.

36. The device according to claim 35, wherein said light-emitting layer has an electron carrier concentration of 1×

10¹⁷ to 5×

10²¹ /cm³.

37. The device according to claim 32, wherein said light-emitting layer is n-type, doped with an n-type impurity.

38. The device according to claim 37, wherein said n-type impurity doped in said light-emitting layer comprises silicon in a concentration of 1×

10¹⁷ to 1×

10²¹ /cm³.

39. The device according to claim 38, wherein said second clad layer is doped with magnesium in a concentration of 1×

10¹⁸ to 1×

10²¹ /cm³.