Nitride semiconductor light emitting diode

• US 8,030,667 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2008
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung LED Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shim, Ji Hye, Kim, Bum Joon, Song, Sang-Yeob
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOX, BRANDON C
• Application Number:
  US12/258,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20090090921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 257/79, 257/E33.061, 257/E21.006, 257/E21.168, 257/94, 257/97
• US Class Current: 257/79
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/02 characterised by the semiconductor bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen

Abstract

A nitride semiconductor light emitting diode (LED) comprises an n-type nitride semiconductor layer; an electron emitting layer formed on the n-type nitride semiconductor layer, the electron emitting layer being composed of a nitride semiconductor layer including a transition element of group III; an active layer formed on the electron emitting layer; and a p-type nitride semiconductor layer formed on the active layer.

Claims

1. A nitride semiconductor light emitting diode (LED) comprising:

a p-electrode;

a p-type nitride semiconductor layer formed on the p-electrode;

an active layer formed on the p-type nitride semiconductor layer;

an electron emitting layer formed on the active layer, the electron emitting layer being composed of a nitride semiconductor layer including a transition element of group III;

an n-type nitride semiconductor layer formed on the electron emitting layer;

a substrate formed on the n-type nitride semiconductor layer; and

an n-electrode formed on the substrate;

wherein the electron emitting layer is configured to enhance ESD (electrostatic discharge) characteristics of the LED, and

wherein the electron emitting layer has a multilayer structure;

wherein the electron emitting layer is composed of at least one Ga_xSc_(1-x)N/Al_yGa_(1-y)N layer (0<

x<

1 and 0<

y<

1).

2. The nitride semiconductor LED according to claim 1, wherein the thicknesses of the Ga_xSc_(1-x)N layer and the Al_yGa_(1-y)N layer composing the electron emitting layer are equal to or different from each other.

3. The nitride semiconductor LED according to claim 1, wherein when the electron emitting layer is composed of more than two Ga_xSc_(1-x)N/Al_yGa_(1-y)N layers, the thicknesses of the respective Ga_xSc_(1-x)N layers composing the electron emitting layer are equal to or different from each other.

4. The nitride semiconductor LED according to claim 1, wherein the Ga_xSc_(1-x)N layer and the Al_yGa_(1-y)N layer composing the electron emitting layer are not doped with impurities.

5. The nitride semiconductor LED according to claim 1, wherein all or some of the Ga_xSc_(1-x)N/Al_yGa_(1-y)N layers composing the electron emitting layer are doped with n-type impurities.

6. The nitride semiconductor LED according to claim 5, wherein the Ga_xSc_(1-x)N layer and the Al_yGa_(1-y)N layer composing the electron emitting layer are doped with the n-type impurities in the same concentration or different concentration.

7. The nitride semiconductor LED according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is any one selected from the group consisting of a GaN substrate, an SiC substrate, a ZnO substrate, and a conductive substrate.