A1GaInP light emitting diode

• US 5,744,829 A
• Filed: 12/26/1996
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Showa Denko KK
• Original Assignee: Showa Denko KK
• Inventors: Sakaguchi, Yasuyuki, Murasato, Shigetaka
• Primary Examiner(s): MINTEL, WILLIAM A
• Application Number:
  US08/773,348
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 257/94, 257/96, 257/97, 257/98, 372/43, 372/45, 372/46
• US Class Current: 257/94
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/10 with a light reflecting structure, e.g. semiconductor Bragg reflector
• 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 33/30 containing only elements of Group III and Group V of the Periodic Table

Abstract

An AlGaInP light-emitting diode includes a double hetero-junction light-emitting structure of (Al_x Ga_1-x)_y In_1-y P on a GaAs substrate. A multi-film reflection layer is provided between the GaAs substrate and the double hetero-junction light-emitting structure. The layers forming the double hetero-junction are lattice matched with the GaAs substrate at an epitaxial growth temperature. A GaP current diffusion layer is disposed on the upper surface of the double hetero-junction light-emitting structure, and ohmic electrodes are provided on the underside of the GaAs substrate and on the upper surface of the current diffusion layer.

Claims

1. An AlGaInP light-emitting diode, comprising:

a GaAs substrate having an ohmic electrode on its rear surface,

a reflection layer comprised of a lamination of multiple layers provided on the GaAs substrate,

a double hetero-junction light-emitting structure of (Al_x Ga_1-x)_y In_1-y P provided on the reflection layer, said light-emitting structure being comprised of an active layer between upper and lower cladding layers, with each of the layers being lattice matched to the GaAs substrate at an epitaxial growth temperature,

a current diffusion layer formed of GaP provided on the double hetero-junction light-emitting structure, and

an ohmic electrode provided on the current diffusion layer.

2. A light-emitting diode according to claim 1 that includes a bandgap changing compositional gradient layer between the reflection layer and the double hetero-junction light-emitting structure.

3. A light-emitting diode according to claim 1 that includes a compositional gradient layer to alleviate lattice mismatching, between the upper cladding layer and the current diffusion layer.

4. A light-emitting diode according to claim 1, wherein room-temperature lattice mismatch between each of the layers of the double hetero-junction and the GaAs substrate is not less than 0.085% and less than 0.140%.

5. A light-emitting diode according to claim 1, wherein an In mixed crystal ratio (1-y) in each of the layers of the double hetero-junction is 0.5045≦

(1-y)≦

0.5095.

6. A light-emitting diode according to claim 1, wherein the reflection layer is a lamination of two types of AlGaAs layers having different Al mixed crystal ratios, one of the AlGaAs layers having an Al mixed crystal ratio of 0.95 to 1 and the other of the AlGaAs layers having an Al mixed crystal ratio of 0.35 to 0.75.

7. An AlGaInP light-emitting diode, comprising:

a GaAs substrate having an ohmic electrode on its rear surface,

a reflection layer comprised of a lamination of multiple layers provided on the GaAs substrate,

a compositional gradient layer provided on the reflection layer,

a double hetero-junction light-emitting structure of (Al_x Ga_1-x)_y In_1-y P provided on the compositional gradient layer, said light-emitting structure being comprised of an active layer between upper and lower cladding layers, with each of the layers being lattice matched to the GaAs substrate at an epitaxial growth temperature,

a current diffusion layer formed of GaP provided on the double hetero-junction light-emitting structure, and

an ohmic electrode provided on the current diffusion layer.

8. A light-emitting diode according to claim 7, wherein room-temperature lattice mismatch between each of the layers of the double hetero-junction and the GaAs substrate is not less than 0.085% and less than 0.140%.

9. A light-emitting diode according to claim 7, wherein an In mixed crystal ratio (1-y) in each of the layers of the double hetero-junction is 0.5045≦

(1-y)≦

0.5095.

10. An AlGaInP light-emitting diode, comprising:

a GaAs substrate having an ohmic electrode on its rear surface,

a reflection layer comprised of a lamination of multiple layers provided on the GaAs substrate,

a compositional gradient layer provided on the reflection layer,

a double hetero-junction light-emitting structure of (Al_x Ga_1-x)_y In_1-y P provided on the compositional gradient layer, said light-emitting structure being comprised of an active layer between upper and lower cladding layers, with each of the layers being lattice matched to the GaAs substrate at an epitaxial growth temperature,

a compositional gradient layer provided on the double hetero-junction light-emitting structure,

a current diffusion layer formed of GaP provided on the compositional gradient layer, and

an ohmic electrode provided on the current diffusion layer.

11. A light-emitting diode according to claim 10, wherein room-temperature lattice mismatch between each of the layers of the double hetero-junction and the GaAs substrate is not less than 0.085% and less than 0.140%.

12. A light-emitting diode according to claim 10, wherein an In mixed crystal ratio (1-y) in each of the layers of the double hetero-junction is 0.5045≦

(1-y)≦

0.5095.