Reflective electrode and compound semiconductor light emitting device including the same

• US 7,973,325 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Mi-yang, Kwak, Joon-seop
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Jr.; Jerome
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAGE, DALE E
• Application Number:
  US11/157,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20060081867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,204 Days
• Field of Search: 257/11, 257/13, 257/745, 257/762, 257 79-103, 438/22, 438/25, 438/26, 438/27, 438/29, 438/28
• US Class Current: 257/94
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28575 on semiconductor bodies comprising AIIIBV compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/405 Reflective materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/04253 having specific optical properties, e.g. transparent electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/04257 having positive and negative electrodes on the same side of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1078 with means to control the spontaneous emission, e.g. reducing or reinjection
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/2027 Reflecting region or layer, parallel to the active layer, e.g. to modify propagation of the mode in the laser or to influence transverse modes
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser

Abstract

Provided are a reflective electrode and a compound semiconductor light emitting device having the reflective electrode, such as LED or LD is provided. The reflective electrode formed on a p-type compound semiconductor layer of a compound semiconductor light emitting device, comprising a first electrode layer formed one of a Ag and Ag-alloy and forms an ohmic contact with the p-type compound semiconductor layer, a third electrode layer formed of a material selected from the group consisting of Ni, Ni-alloy, Zn, Zn-alloy, Cu, Cu-alloy, Ru, Ir, and Rh on the first electrode layer, and a fourth electrode layer formed of a light reflective material on the third electrode layer.

Claims

1. A reflective electrode formed on a p-type compound semiconductor layer of a compound semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

a first electrode layer comprising Ag or Ag-alloy which forms an ohmic contact with the p-type compound semiconductor layer;

a third electrode layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Zn and Zn-alloy formed directly on and adjacent the first electrode layer; and

a fourth electrode layer comprising a light reflective material formed directly on and adjacent the third electrode layer.

2. The reflective electrode of claim 1, wherein the Ag-alloy includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of Mg, Zn, Sc, Hf, Zr, Te, Se, Ta, W, Nb, Cu, Si, Ni, Co, Mo, Cr, Mn, Hg, Pr, and La.

3. The reflective electrode of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the first electrode layer and the third electrode layer are respectively in a range of about 0.1 to about 500 nm.

4. The reflective electrode of claim 1, wherein the light reflective material is a material selected from the group consisting of Ag, Ag-alloy, Al, Al-alloy and Rh.

5. The reflective electrode of claim 4, wherein the thickness of the fourth electrode layer is in a range of about 10 to about 5000 nm.

6. The reflective electrode of claim 1, further comprising a fifth electrode layer on the fourth electrode layer to prevent an agglomeration phenomenon that can occur during an annealing process on a surface of the fourth electrode layer.

7. The reflective electrode of claim 6, wherein the fifth electrode layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Cu, Cu/Ru, Cu/Ir, Cu-alloy, Cu-alloy/Ru, and Cu-alloy/Ir.

8. The reflective electrode of claim 7, wherein the thickness of the fifth electrode layer is in a range of about 1 to about 500 nm.

21. The reflective electrode of claim 6, wherein the fifth electrode layer has a small surface energy difference with the p-type compound semiconductor layer.

9. A reflective electrode formed on a p-type compound semiconductor layer of a compound semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

a first electrode layer comprising Ag or Ag-alloy which forms an ohmic contact with the p-type compound semiconductor layer;

a second electrode layer comprising Ni or Ni-alloy directly on and adjacent the first electrode layer;

a third electrode layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Zn and Zn-alloy formed directly on and adjacent the second electrode layer; and

a fourth electrode layer comprising a light reflective material formed directly on and adjacent the third electrode layer.

10. The reflective electrode of claim 9, wherein the thickness of the second electrode layer is in a range of about 0.1 to about 500 nm.

11. A compound semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

an n-type electrode;

a p-type electrode; and

at least an n-type compound semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a p-type compound semiconductor layer between the n-type and p-type electrodes,

wherein the p-type electrode includes;

a first electrode layer comprising Ag or Ag-alloy which forms an ohmic contact with the p-type compound semiconductor layer;

a third electrode layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Zn and Zn-alloy directly on and adjacent the first electrode layer; and

a fourth electrode layer formed of a light reflective material directly on and adjacent the third electrode layer.

12. The compound semiconductor light emitting device of claim 11, wherein the Ag-alloy includes at least a material selected from the group consisting of Mg, Zn, Sc, Hf, Zr, Te, Se, Ta, W, Nb, Cu, Si, Ni, Co, Mo, Cr, Mn, Hg, Pr and La.

13. The compound semiconductor light emitting device of claim 11, wherein the thickness of the first electrode layer and the third electrode layer are respectively in a range of about 0.1 to about 500 nm.

14. The compound semiconductor light emitting device of claim 11, wherein the light reflective material is selected from the group consisting of Ag, Ag-alloy, Al, Al-alloy, and Rh.

15. The compound semiconductor light emitting device of claim 14, wherein the thickness of the fourth electrode layer is in a range of about 10 to about 5000 nm.

16. The compound semiconductor light emitting device of claim 11, further comprising a fifth electrode layer on the fourth electrode layer to prevent an agglomeration phenomenon that can occur during an annealing process on a surface of the fourth electrode layer.

17. The compound semiconductor light emitting device of claim 16, wherein the fifth electrode layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Cu, Cu/Ru, Cu/Ir, Cu-alloy, Cu-alloy/Ru, and Cu-alloy/Ir.

18. The compound semiconductor light emitting device of claim 17, wherein the thickness of the fifth electrode layer is in a range of about 1 to about 500 nm.

22. The compound semiconductor light emitting device of claim 16, wherein the fifth electrode layer has a small surface energy difference with the p-type compound semiconductor layer.

19. A compound semiconductor light emitting device comprising:

an n-type electrode;

a p-type electrode; and

at least an n-type compound semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a p-type compound semiconductor layer between the n-type and p-type electrodes,

wherein the p-type electrode includes;

a first electrode layer comprising Ag or Ag-alloy which forms an ohmic contact with the p-type compound semiconductor layer;

a second electrode layer comprising Ni or Ni-alloy directly on and adjacent the first electrode layer;

a third electrode layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Zn and Zn-alloy directly on and adjacent the second electrode layer; and

a fourth electrode layer formed of a light reflective material directly on and adjacent the third electrode layer.

20. The compound semiconductor light emitting device of claim 19, wherein the thickness of the second electrode layer is in a range of about 0.1 to about 500 nm.