Light emitting diode structure and manufacture method thereof

• US 6,967,346 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2003
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Formosa Epitaxy Incorporated (Epistar Corporation), Lumens Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Formosa Epitaxy Incorporated (Epistar Corporation)
• Inventors: Chien, Fen-Ren, Chen, Lung-Chien
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOANG, QUOC DINH
• Application Number:
  US10/633,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20050026399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 843 Days
• Field of Search: 257/14, 257/79, 257/94, 257/103, 257/22
• US Class Current: 257/22
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/95 Electromagnetic energy

Abstract

A light emitting diode (LED) structure and manufacture method thereof are disclosed, wherein a buffer layer is grown on a substrate and then an LED structural layer is grown on the buffer layer. The LED structural layer comprises a p-type quantum-dot epitaxial layer on a p-type GaN layer. As the p-type quantum-dot epitaxial layer has a coarsening and scattering effect the path of light emitted from an INGaN multiple-quantum-well structural layer is changed. Therefore, it is possible to decrease the probability of total reflection and thereby increase the light-emitting efficiency of LED.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode (LED) comprising:

a buffer layer made of a GaN-based compound semiconductor, being grown on a substrate;

an LED structural layer formed on the buffer layer, the LED structural layer further comprising an n-type GaN layer, a multiple-quantum-well structural layer, a p-type GaAlN layer, and a p-type GaN layer, in which the n-type GaN layer is made of a GaN-based compound semiconductor and formed on the buffer layer, the multiple-quantum-well structural layer being made of an InGaN serial compound and situated on the n-type GaN layer, the p-type GaAlN layer being made of a p-type GaAlN-based compound semiconductor and grown on the multiple-quantum-well structural layer, the p-type GaN layer being made of a p-type GaN-based III-V compound semiconductor and grown on the p-type GaAlN layer;

a p-type quantum-dot epitaxial layer made of an InAlN compound, being grown on the p-type GaN layer of the LED structural layer, and part of the n-type GaN layer, the multiple-quantum-well structural layer, the p-type GaAlN layer, the p-type GaN layer, and the p-type quantum-dot epitaxial layer being removed by a single etching process;

a p-type ohmic contact electrode made of Ni/AuBe material being formed on the p-type quantum-dot epitaxial layer and electrically connected therewith; and

an n-type ohmic contact electrode being grown on the n-type GaN layer of the LED structural layer and electrically connected therewith;

whereby a forward bias can be applied to the LED.