Nitride semiconductor light emitting device and fabrication method thereof

• US 8,278,646 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2010
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suzhou Lekin Semiconductor Company Limited
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Suk Hun
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Kyoung
• Application Number:
  US12/849,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20100289002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 257/13
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/15 including semiconductor components having potential barriers, specially adapted for light emission
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/02 characterised by the semiconductor bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/025 Physical imperfections, e.g. particular concentration or distribution of impurities
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/14 with a carrier transport control structure, e.g. highly-doped semiconductor layer or current-blocking structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/305 characterised by the doping materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen

Abstract

Provided is a nitride semiconductor light emitting device including: a first nitride semiconductor layer; an active layer formed above the first nitride semiconductor layer; and a delta doped second nitride semiconductor layer formed above the active layer. According to the present invention, the optical power of the nitride semiconductor light emitting device is enhanced, optical power down phenomenon is improved and reliability against ESD (electro static discharge) is enhanced.

Claims

1. A light emitting device comprising:

a first nitride semiconductor layer;

an active layer on the first nitride semiconductor layer;

a second nitride semiconductor layer on the active layer; and

an electrode on the second nitride semiconductor layer;

wherein the active layer includes a quantum well structure for emitting light;

wherein the first nitride semiconductor layer includes a super lattice structure having at least two layers; and

wherein the second nitride semiconductor layer includes a p-type impurity, the p-type impurity having a doping profile comprising a plurality of peaks through the depth of the second nitride semiconductor layer,

wherein the second nitride semiconductor layer comprises a periodic structure, and wherein a period of the periodic structure comprises a p-doped first GaN layer and a p-doped second GaN layer, wherein the p-doped second GaN layer includes a material selected from the group consisting of In and Al, and

wherein each peak of the plurality of peaks occurs in a p-doped first GaN layer of the periodic structure.

2. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the p-doped second GaN layer includes a p-doped AlGaN layer.

3. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the p-doped second GaN layer includes a p-doped InGaN layer.

4. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the electrode comprises ITO, IZO(In—

ZnO), GZO(Ga—

ZnO), AZO(Al—

ZnO), AGZO(Al—

Ga ZnO), IGZO(In—

Ga ZnO), IrO_x, RuO_x, RuO_x,/ITO, Ni/IrO_x,/Au, or Ni/IrO_x/Au/ITO.

5. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the p-type impurity is Mg.

6. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the super lattice structure comprises an undoped AlGaN layer and a doped GaN layer.

7. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first nitride semiconductor layer is an n-type GaN layer, and wherein the second nitride semiconductor layer is a p-type GaN layer.

8. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first nitride semiconductor layer is an n-GaN layer formed by a Si-In simultaneous doping in a doping concentration range of 1×

10¹⁹/cm³-9×

10¹⁹/cm³ at a thickness range of 1-4 μ

m.

9. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first nitride semiconductor layer has an overall thickness of less than 2 μ

m.

10. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the active layer includes a multi-quantum well structure.

11. A light emitting device comprising:

a first nitride semiconductor layer;

an active layer on the first nitride semiconductor layer;

a second nitride semiconductor layer on the active layer; and

an electrode on the second nitride semiconductor layer;

wherein the active layer includes a quantum well structure for emitting light;

wherein the first nitride semiconductor layer includes a super lattice structure having at least two layers; and

wherein the second nitride semiconductor layer includes a p-type impurity, the p-type impurity having a doping profile comprising a plurality of peaks through the depth of the second nitride semiconductor layer, wherein the second nitride semiconductor layer comprises a p-type GaN layer and a p-type AlGaN layer, wherein a p-type impurity of the p-type GaN layer is more heavily doped than a p-type impurity of the p-type AlGaN layer.

12. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein the p-type impurity is Mg and the eak of the doing profile of the p-type GaN layer is higher than the peak of the doping profile of the p-type AlGaN layer.

13. The light emitting device according to claim 11, wherein a thickness of the p-type AlGaN layer is within a range of 10-300 Å

.

14. A light emitting device comprising:

a first nitride semiconductor layer;

an active layer on the first nitride semiconductor layer;

a second nitride semiconductor layer on the active layer; and

an electrode on the second nitride semiconductor layer;

wherein the active layer includes a quantum well structure for emitting light;

wherein the first nitride semiconductor layer includes a super lattice structure having at least two layers; and

wherein the second nitride semiconductor layer includes a p-type impurity, the p-type impurity having a doping profile comprising a plurality of peaks through the depth of the second nitride semiconductor layer, wherein the second nitride semiconductor layer comprises a periodic structure, and wherein a period of the periodic structure comprises a p-doped GaN layer, a p-doped AlGaN cap layer, and a p-doped InGaN layer.

15. The light emitting device according to claim 14, wherein each peak of the plurality of peaks occurs in a p-doped GaN layer of the periodic structure.

16. A method of forming a light emitting device, comprising:

forming a first nitride semiconductor layer on a substrate, wherein the first nitride semiconductor layer includes a super lattice structure having at least two layers;

forming an active layer on the first nitride semiconductor layer, wherein the active layer includes a quantum well structure for emitting light;

forming a second nitride semiconductor layer on the active layer, wherein forming the second nitride semiconductor layer comprises doping the second nitride semiconductor layer with a p-type impurity using a delta doping process such that the p-type impurity has a doping profile having a plurality of peaks through the depth of the second nitride semiconductor layer;

forming an electrode on the second nitride semiconductor layer; and

performing an activation process whereby the p-type impurity diffuses through the second nitride semiconductor layer.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second nitride semiconductor layer comprises a periodic structure,

wherein, before performing the activation process, a period of the periodic structure comprises a p-doped GaN layer and an undoped AlGaN layer, and

wherein, after performing the activation process, said diffusion of the p-type impurity yields the periodic structure comprising a p-doped GaN layer and a p-doped AlGaN layer.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second nitride semiconductor layer comprises a periodic structure,

wherein, before performing the activation process, a period of the periodic structure comprises a p-doped GaN layer and an undoped InGaN layer, and

wherein, after performing the activation process, said diffusion of the p-type impurity yields the periodic structure comprising a p-doped GaN layer and a p-doped InGaN layer.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second nitride semiconductor layer comprises a periodic structure,

wherein, before performing the activation process, a period of the periodic structure comprises an undoped GaN layer, an undoped AlGaN cap layer, and a p-doped GaN layer, and

wherein, after performing the activation process, said diffusion of the p-type impurity yields the periodic structure comprising a first p-doped GaN layer, a p-doped AlGaN cap layer, and a second p-doped GaN layer, wherein the second p-doped GaN layer is more heavily doped than the first p-doped GaN layer.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second nitride semiconductor layer comprises a periodic structure,

wherein, before performing the activation process, a period of the periodic structure comprises a p-doped GaN layer, an undoped AlGaN cap layer, and an undoped InGaN layer, and

wherein, after performing the activation process, said diffusion of the p-type impurity yields the periodic structure comprising a p-doped GaN layer, a p-doped AlGaN cap layer, and a p-doped InGaN layer.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein the p-type impurity is Mg.