III group nitride system compound semiconductor light emitting element

• US 6,864,502 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2003
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kozawa, Takahiro, Shibata, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CUONG QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/664,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20040169186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 257 12- 14, 257 88- 98
• US Class Current: 257/14
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen

Abstract

A III group nitride system compound semiconductor light emitting element has a quantum well structure that includes a well layer of Al_X1Ga_Y1In_1-X1-Y1N, where 0<X1, 0≦Y1 and X1+Y1<1 and a barrier layer of Al_X2Ga_Y2In_1-X2-Y2N, where 0<X2, 0≦Y2 and X2+Y2<1. The Al composition (X2) of barrier layer is equal to or smaller than that (X1) of well layer.

Claims

1. A III group nitride system compound semiconductor light emitting element, comprising:

a quantum well structure that includes a well layer of Al_X1Ga_Y1In_1-X1-Y1N, where 0<

X1, 0≦

Y1 and X1+Y1<

1 and a barrier layer of Al_X2Ga_Y2In_1-X2-Y2N, where 0<

X2, 0≦

Y2 and X2+Y2≦

1,

wherein the Al composition (X2) of said barrier layer is equal to or smaller than that (X1) of said well layer.

2. The III group nitride system compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein:

said barrier layer is of Al_X2Ga_Y2In_1-X2-Y2N, where 0<

X2, 0<

Y2 and X2+Y2≦

1.

3. The III group nitride system compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein:

the Al compositions (X1, X2) of said well layer and said barrier layer are set to satisfy the relationship of X2≦

X1≦

1.5×

X2.

4. The III group nitride system compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 2, wherein:

the Al compositions (X1, X2) of said well layer and said barrier layer are set to satisfy the relationship of X2≦

X1≦

1.5×

X2.

5. The III group nitride system compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 1, wherein:

said well layer has substantially the same lattice constant as GaN layer that is a base layer of said quantum well structure.

6. The III group nitride system compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 2, wherein:

said well layer has substantially the same lattice constant as GaN layer that is a base layer of said quantum well structure.

7. The III group nitride system compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 3, wherein:

said well layer has substantially the same lattice constant as GaN layer that is a base layer of said quantum well structure.

8. A III group nitride system compound semiconductor light emitting element, comprising:

a quantum well structure that includes a well layer of Al_X1Ga_Y1In_1-X1-Y1N, where 0<

X1, 0≦

Y1 and X1+Y1<

1 and a barrier layer of Al_X2Ga_Y2In_1-X2-Y2N, where 0<

X2, 0≦

Y2 and X2+Y2<

1,

wherein the Al composition (X2) of said barrier layer is equal to or smaller than that (X1) of said well layer, and the In composition of said well layer is greater than that of said barrier layer.