Indium gallium nitride light emitting diode

• US 6,078,064 A
• Filed: 05/04/1998
• Issued: 06/20/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Epistar Corporation (Ennostar, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Epistar Corporation (Ennostar, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chuan-Ming, Chang, Chia-Cheng, Liu, Biing-Jye, Lee, Tarn, Jacob C., Ming-Jiunn, Jou
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaudhuri, Olik
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wille, Douglas A.
• Application Number:
  US09/071,519
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 257/103
• US Class Current: 257/103
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/42 Transparent materials

Abstract

A transparent conductive layer is deposited between the electrode and the semiconductor diode to spread the current evenly to the diode and to reduce the series resistance. Tin indium oxide can be used as the transparent conductive layer. The transparent conductive layer is particularly applicable to a blue light emitting diode, where InGaN is used as the light emitting layer.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode, comprising:

a transparent insulating substrate;

a first conductivity type GaN as a buffer directly over said transparent insulating substrate;

a first conductivity type (Al)GaN as a lower cladding layer directly over said first conductivity type GaN;

an InGaN light-emitting layer directly over said first conductivity type (Al)GaN;

a second conductivity type semiconductor material as a contact layer directly over said InGaN light-emitting layer;

a second contact layer with a carrier concentration greater than 5*10¹⁸ cm^-3 and a thickness of less than 500 Angstroms directly over said second conductivity type semiconductor material;

a transparent conductive layer selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide (ITO), tin oxide and indium oxide as a current spreading layer for reducing the spreading resistance of the light emitting diode directly over said second contact layer;

a first electrode formed on the partially exposed area of the first conductivity type GaN; and

a second electrode formed on top of the transparent conductive layer.

2. A light emitting diode as described in claim 1, wherein said second conductivity type semiconductor material is selected from the group consisting of AlGaN, GaN, InGaN and AlGaInN.

3. A light emitting diode as described in claim 2, wherein said second contact layer is fabricated by a technology selected from the group consisting of zinc diffusion, magnesium diffusion, zinc ion implantation, and magnesium ion implantation to said second conductivity type semiconductor material.

4. A light emitting diode as described in claim 2, wherein said second contact layer is selected from the group consisting of InGaN, AlGaAs, GaP, GaAs and GaAsP.

5. A light emitting diode as described in claim 3, wherein said substrate is selected from a group consisting of Al₂ O₃, LiGaO₂, LiAlO₂ and MgAl₂ O₄.

6. A light emitting diode, comprising:

a first conductivity semiconductor as a substrate;

a first conductivity type GaN as a buffer layer directly over said substrate;

a first conductivity type (Al)GaN as a lower cladding layer directly over said buffer layer;

an InGaN light emitting layer directly over said lower cladding layer;

a second conductivity type (Al)GaN as an upper cladding layer directly over said light emitting layer;

a second conductivity type semiconductor material as a contact layer directly over said upper cladding layer;

a second contact layer with carrier concentration greater than 5*10¹⁸ cm^-3 and a thickness of less than 500 Angstroms directly over said contact layer;

a transparent conductive layer as a current spreading layer for reducing the spreading resistance of the light emitting diode directly over said second contact layer;

a first electrode formed underneath the first conductivity type substrate; and

a second electrode formed on top of the transparent conductive layer.

7. A light emitting diode as described in claim 6, wherein said second conductivity type semiconductor material is selected from the group consisting of AlGaN, GaN, InGaN and AlGaInN.

8. A light emitting diode as described in claim 7, wherein said second contact layer is fabricated by a technology selected from the group consisting of zinc diffusion, magnesium diffusion, zinc ion implantation, and magnesium ion implantation to said second conductivity type semiconductor material.

9. A light emitting diode as described in claim 6, wherein said second contact layer is selected from the group consisting of InGaN, GaP, GaAs, AlGaAs and GaAsP.

10. A light emitting diode as described in claim 6, wherein said first conductivity type substrate is se group consisting of SiC, GaAs, and Si.

11. A light emitting diode, comprising:

a transparent insulating substrate;

a first conductivity type GaN as a buffer layer directly over said substrate;

a first conductivity type (Al)GaN as a lower cladding layer directly over said buffer layer;

an InGaN light emitting layer directly over said light emitting layer;

a second conductivity type (Al)GaN as an upper cladding layer directly over said light emitting layer;

a transparent conductive metal layer as a contact layer with a thickness in the range of 10-100 Angstroms directly over said upper cladding layer;

a transparent conductive layer as a current spreading layer directly over said contact layer;

a first electrode formed on a partially exposed area of first conductivity type GaN directly over said transparent conductive layer; and

a second electrode formed on top of the transparent conductive layer.

12. A light emitting diode as described in claim 11, wherein said transparent conductive layer is composed of material selected from a group consisting of:

indium tine oxide (ITO), tin oxide, and indium oxide.

13. A light emitting diode as described in claim 11, wherein said transparent conductive metal layer is selected from a group consisting of Ni/Au and Ni/Cr.

14. A light emitting diode as described in claim 11, wherein said transparent conductive metal layer has a thickness of between 10 and 100 Angstroms.

15. A light emitting diode as described in claim 11, wherein said transparent insulating substrate is selected from a group consisting of Al₂ O₃, LiGaO₂, LiAlO₂, and MgAl₂ O₄.

16. A light emitting diode, comprising:

a first conductivity type semiconductor as a substrate;

a first conductivity type GaN as a buffer layer directly over said substrate;

a first conductivity type (Al)GaN as a lower cladding layer directly over said buffer layer;

an InGaN light emitting layer directly over said lower cladding layer;

a second conductivity type (Al) GaN as an upper cladding layer directly over said light emitting layer;

a transparent conductive metal layer as a contact layer with a thickness in the range of 10-100 Angstroms directly over said upper cladding layer;

a transparent conductive layer as a current spreading layer directly over said contact layer;

a first electrode formed underneath said substrate; and

a second electrode formed on top of the transparent conductive layer.

17. A light emitting diode as described in claim 16, wherein said transparent conductive layer is selected from a group consisting of indium tine oxide (ITO), tin oxide, and indium oxide.

18. A light emitting diode as described in claim 16, wherein said transparent conductive metal layer is selected from a group consisting of Ni/Au, and Ni/Cr.

19. A light emitting diode as described in claim 16, wherein said transparent conductive metal layer has a thickness of between 10 and 100 Angstroms.

20. A light emitting diode as described in claim 16, wherein said first conductivity type substrate is selected from a group consisting of:

SiC, GaAs, and Si.