GaN-type light emitting device formed on a silicon substrate

• US 5,838,029 A
• Filed: 08/21/1995
• Issued: 11/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shakuda, Yukio
• Primary Examiner(s): Guay, John
• Application Number:
  US08/517,121
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 257/94, 257/96, 257/97, 257/190, 257/200, 257/201, 257/76, 257/103
• US Class Current: 257/190
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0075 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/02 characterised by the semiconductor bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/16 with a particular crystal structure or orientation, e.g. polycrystalline, amorphous or porous

Abstract

A light emitting device employing gallium nitride type compound semiconductor which generates no crystal defect, dislocation and can be separated easily to chips by cleavage and a method for producing the same are provided As a substrate on which gallium nitride type compound semiconductor layers are stacked, a gallium nitride type compound semiconductor substrate, a single-crystal silicon, a group II-VI compound semiconductor substrate, or a group III-V compound semiconductor substrate is employed.

Claims

1. A semiconductor light emitting device comprising a single-crystal silicon substrate, an insulating layer of Si₃ N₄ formed on the singlecrystal silicon substrate, and gallium nitride type compound semiconductor layers stacked on the insulating layer.

2. The semiconductor light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the single-crystal silicon substrate has a (111) crystal plane as a principal plane.

3. The semiconductor light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the gallium nitride type compound semiconductor layers are a plurality of layers including a p-type layer and an n-type layer and having an active layer for emission of light.

4. The semiconductor light emitting device of claim 3, wherein the gallium nitride compound semiconductor layers comprises a buffer layer, a lower cladding layer, an active layer, an upper cladding layer, and a cap layer.

5. The semiconductor light emitting device of claim 4, wherein the buffer layer is made of n-type GaN, the lower cladding layer is made of n-type Al_x Ga_1-x N (0<

x<

1), the active layer is made of Ga_n In_1-n N (0<

n≦

1), the upper cladding layer is made of p-type Al_x Ga_1-x N (0<

x<

1), and the cap layer is made of p-type GaN.

6. A semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

a single-crystal silicon substrate;

an insulating layer of Si₃ N₄ formed on the single-crystal silicon substrate; and

gallium nitride type compound semiconductor layers stacked on the insulating layer, wherein the gallium nitride type compound semiconductor layers are a plurality of layers including a p-type layer and an n-type layer and having an active layer for emission of light, wherein the gallium nitride compound semiconductor layers comprises a buffer layer made of n-type GaN, a lower cladding layer made of n-type Al_x Ga_1-x N (0<

x<

1), an active layer made of Ga_n In_1-n N (0<

n≦

1), an upper cladding layer made of p-type Al_x Ga_1-x N (0<

x<

1), and a cap layer made of p-type GaN.