Nitride semiconductor light-emitting and light-receiving devices

• US 6,172,382 B1
• Filed: 01/09/1998
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nichia Chemical Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Nichia Chemical Industries Limited
• Inventors: Nakamura, Shuji, Nagahama, Shinichi, Senoh, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Minh Loan
• Application Number:
  US09/004,925
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 257/13, 257/15, 257/22, 257/94, 257/96, 257/101, 257/103, 372/45, 372/46
• US Class Current: 257/94
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0237 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0242 Crystalline insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02458 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02502 consisting of two layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0254 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02579 P-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02636 Selective deposition, e.g. simultaneous growth of mono- and non-monocrystalline semiconductor materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/04 with a quantum effect structure or superlattice, e.g. tunnel junction
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2301/173 The laser chip comprising special buffer layers, e.g. dislocation prevention or reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/3216 quantum well or superlattice cladding layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/32341 blue laser based on GaN or GaP

Abstract

A nitride semiconductor device including a light emitting device comprises a n-type region of one or more nitride semiconductor layers having n-type conductivity, a p-type region of one or more nitride semiconductor layers having p-type conductivity and an active layer between the n-type region and the p-type region. In such devices, there is provided with a super lattice layer comprising first layers and second layers which are nitride semiconductors having a different composition respectively. The super lattice structure makes working current and voltage of the device lowered, resulting in realization of more efficient devices.

Claims

1. A nitride semiconductor light emitting device comprising a n-type cladding layer, a p-type cladding layer and an active layer including a first nitride semiconductor layer containing In between said n-side cladding layer and said p-side cladding layer, wherein said n-side cladding layer is a super lattice structure layer comprising first nitride semiconductor layers and second nitride semiconductor layers containing Al and has a total thickness of not less than 0.5 μ

m wherein an average composition of Al in said n-side cladding layer is set in a way that the product of said average Al composition in % contained in said n-side cladding layer multiplied by the thickness in μ

m of said n-side cladding layer is 4.4 or more.

2. A nitride semiconductor light emitting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said n-side cladding layer has a thickness of not less than 0.8 μ

m and an average Al composition of not less than 5.5%.

3. A nitride semiconductor light emitting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said n-side cladding layer has a thickness of not less than 1.0 μ

m and an average Al composition of not less than 5%.

4. A nitride semiconductor light emitting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said n-side cladding layer has a thickness of not less than 1.2 μ

m and an average Al composition of not less than 4.5%.

5. A nitride semiconductor light emitting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said p-side cladding layer is a super lattice structure layer comprising third nitride semiconductor layers containing Al and having a thickness smaller than said n-side cladding layer.

6. A nitride semiconductor light emitting device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said p-side cladding layer has a thickness of less than 1.0 μ

m.

7. A nitride semiconductor light emitting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thickness of said n-side cladding layer and said p-side cladding layer including said active layer is set to range between 200 angstroms and 1.0 μ

m.