Gallium nitride compound-based semiconductor light emitting device and process for producing gallium nitride compound-based semiconductor thin film

• US 6,051,847 A
• Filed: 04/30/1998
• Issued: 04/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Shinagawa, Shuuichi, Kamei, Hidenori, Oku, Yasunari, Takeishi, Hidemi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaudhuri, Olik
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wille, Douglas A.
• Application Number:
  US09/069,849
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 257/94, 372/45
• US Class Current: 257/94
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen

Abstract

In the present invention, by organometallic vapor deposition, a buffer layer containing indium is grown on a substrate and an n-type gallium nitride compound-based semiconductor thin film containing indium is grown on the buffer layer. Thus, the occurrence of distortion and crystal defects in the vicinity of the boundary surface between the buffer layer and the n-type gallium nitride compound-based semiconductor thin film is reduced, so that the gallium nitride compound-based semiconductor thin film having an excellent crystallinity can be obtained.

As a gallium nitride compound-based semiconductor light emitting device using gallium nitride compound-based semiconductor thin films which has excellent light-emitting properties, there can be obtained a gallium nitride compound-based semiconductor light emitting device comprising a substrate, a buffer layer of Al_1-x In_x N (0<×<1) formed on the substrate, an n-type gallium nitride compound-based semiconductor thin film formed on the buffer layer, and a p-type gallium nitride compound-based semiconductor thin film formed on the n-type gallium nitride compound-based semiconductor thin film, wherein the buffer layer and the gallium nitride compound-based semiconductor thin films have an improved flatness.

Claims

1. A light emitting device comprising:

a substrate,

an indium-containing buffering layer disposed on the substrate, and

a film of gallium nitride compound-based semiconductor disposed on the buffering layer,

the film containing indium at a surface with which the film is in contact with the buffering layer, and the film having an indium concentration profile which decreases with distance from the surface which is in contact with the buffering layer.

2. A light emitting device comprising:

a substrate,

a buffering layer comprising Al_1-x In_x N, in which 0<

×

<

1, disposed on the substrate, and

a film of gallium nitride compound-based semiconductor disposed on the buffering layer,

the buffering layer having a smaller solid phase molar ratio value x of In in Al_1-x In_x N at a first surface in contact with the film than at a second surface in contact with the substrate.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the film of gallium nitride compound-based semiconductor contains indium at a surface on which the film is in contact with the buffering layer.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the buffering layer has a solid phase molar ratio value x of In in Al_1-x In_x N satisfying the inequality 0.2≦

×

≦

0.8.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the buffering layer has a solid phase molar ratio value x of In in Al_1-x In_x N satisfying the inequality 0.6≦

×

≦

0.8.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein the buffering layer has a thickness falling within the range of from 5 nm to 50 nm.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein the film of gallium nitride compound-based semiconductor comprises a film of gallium nitride compound-based, n-type semiconductor and a film of gallium nitride compound-based, p-type semiconductor.