Nitride-based light emitting device, and method of manufacturing the same

• US 7,462,877 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2004
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Seong, Tae-yeon, Song, June-o
• Primary Examiner(s): SEFER, AHMED N
• Application Number:
  US10/891,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20050045907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 257/98, 257/103, 257/744, 257/745, 438/27
• US Class Current: 257/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/405 Reflective materials

Abstract

A nitride-based light emitting device having a light emitting layer between an N-type clad layer and a P-type clad layer is provided. The light emitting device including: a reflective layer which reflects light emitting from the light emitting layer; and at least one metal layer which is formed between the reflective layer and the P-type clad layer.

Claims

1. A nitride-based light emitting device having a light emitting layer between an N-type clad layer and a P-type clad layer, the light emitting device comprising:

a reflective layer formed of rhodium which reflects light emitting from the light emitting layer;

at least one metal layer which is formed between the reflective layer and the P-type clad layer, wherein the at least one metal layer comprises any one of selected from a first metal group consisting of zinc, indium and tin; and

a P-type electrode pad formed on a portion of the reflective layer,

wherein the P-type electrode pad covers a portion, less than a whole, of an upper surface of the reflective layer.

2. The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one metal layer includes the addition of any one of selected from a second metal group consisting of nickel, cobalt, copper, palladium, platinum, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, tantalum, rhenium, tungsten and a lanthanum-based metal, to any one selected from the first metal group.

3. The light emitting device of claim 2, wherein an addition ratio of the second metal group to the first metal group is 0.1 to 51 atomic percentages.

4. The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one metal layer comprises:

a first metal layer formed on the P-type clad layer; and

a second metal layer formed between the first metal layer and the reflective layer,

the first metal layer is formed of any one of selected from a second metal group consisting of nickel, cobalt, copper, palladium, platinum, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, tantalum, rhenium, tungsten, and a lanthanum-based metal, and

the second metal layer is formed of any one of selected from the first metal group consisting of zinc, indium and tin.

5. The light emitting device of claim 4, wherein the second metal layer is formed by addition of any one selected from the second metal group to any one selected from the first metal group.

6. The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one metal layer and the reflective layer have a thickness of 0.1 nm to 10 μ

m.

7. The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the N-type clad layer is formed on a substrate that is formed of light transmission material.

8. The light emitting device of claim 7, wherein the substrate is formed of sapphire.

9. A nitride-based light emitting device having a light emitting layer between an N-type clad layer and a P-type clad layer, the light emitting device comprising:

a metal layer formed directly on the P-type clad layer;

a reflective layer formed directly on the metal layer which reflects light emitting from the light emitting layer,

wherein the metal layer reacts with a component of the P-type clad layer other than nitride to increase an effective carrier concentration of the P-type clad layer; and

a P-type electrode pad formed on a portion of the reflective layer, wherein the P-type electrode pad covers a portion, less than a whole, of an upper surface of the reflective layer.

10. The light emitting device of claim 9, wherein the metal layer is selected from the group consisting of nickel, palladium, platinum, tungsten, indium, tin, cobalt, copper, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, tantalum, rhenium, and a lanthanum-based metal.

11. The light emitting device of claim 9, wherein the metal layer comprises:

a first metal layer formed directly on the P-type clad layer, the first metal layer selected from the group consisting of zinc, indium and tin; and

a second metal layer formed directly on the first metal layer, with the reflective layer formed directly on the second metal layer, the second metal layer selected from the group consisting of nickel, palladium, platinum, tungsten, cobalt, copper, ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, tantalum, rhenium, and a lanthanum-based metal.

12. The light emitting device of claim 9, wherein the metal layer covers substantially all of an upper surface of the P-type clad layer.