Semiconductor light-emitting device

• US 8,643,036 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2012
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Sharma, Rajat, Pattison, Paul Morgan, Kaeding, John Francis, Nakamura, Shuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Jr., Jerome
• Application Number:
  US13/550,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20120305937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 257/95
• US Class Current: 257/95
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/22 Roughened surfaces, e.g. at the interface between epitaxial layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/0207 Substrates having a special shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/10 Construction or shape of the optical resonator , e.g. extended or external cavity, coupled cavities, bent-guide, varying width, thickness or composition of the active region H01S5/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/1053 Comprising an active region having a varying composition or cross-section in a specific direction
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/34333 with a well layer based on Ga(In)N or Ga(In)P, e.g. blue laser

Abstract

A semiconductor light-emitting diode, and method of fabricating same, wherein an indium (In)-containing light-emitting layer, as well as subsequent device layers, is deposited on a textured surface. The resulting device is a phosphor-free white light source.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a semiconductor light emitting device, comprising:

selectively texturing a surface of a layer in order to produce light emissions at two or more peak wavelengths from different locations on the selectively textured surface; and

incorporating varying fractions of indium at the different locations on the selectively textured surface by depositing one or more indium-containing light-emitting Group-III nitride layers on or above the selectively textured surface, wherein the one or more indium-containing light-emitting Group-III nitride layers incorporate the varying fractions of indium depending on a position on the selectively textured surface, with a higher incorporation of indium at a top of a pillar on the surface, as compared to a lower incorporation of indium in a valley between pillars on the surface, and an intermediate incorporation of indium on side-walls of the pillars.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectively textured surface comprises a partially textured surface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selectively texturing the surface comprises controlling a ratio of a textured area of the surface to a non-textured area of the surface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selectively texturing the surface comprises controlling dimensions of a textured area of the surface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selectively texturing the surface comprises controlling a pattern on the surface.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of selectively texturing the surface comprises controlling a depth of the pattern on the surface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein there is a spatial variation in the incorporation of the indium in the indium-containing light-emitting Group-III nitride layers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the depositing of the one or more indium-containing light-emitting Group-III nitride layers on the selectively textured surface produces a peak wavelength from a textured area of the surface that is different from a peak wavelength from a non-textured area of the surface.

9. A device manufactured according to the method of claim 1.

10. A semiconductor light emitting device, comprising:

a layer having a selectively textured surface in order to produce light emission at two or more peak wavelengths from different locations on the selectively textured surface; and

one or more indium-containing light-emitting Group-III nitride layers deposited on or above the selectively textured surface, wherein varying fractions of indium are incorporated at the different locations on the selectively textured surface, wherein the one or more indium-containing light-emitting Group-III nitride layers incorporate the varying fractions of indium depending on a position on the selectively textured surface, with a higher incorporation of indium at a top of a pillar on the surface, as compared to a lower incorporation of indium in a valley between pillars on the surface, and an intermediate incorporation of indium on side-walls of the pillars.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the selectively textured surface comprises a partially textured surface.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the selectively textured surface includes a textured area and a non-textured area, with a specified ratio of the textured area to the non-textured area.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the selectively textured surface includes a textured area with specified dimensions.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the selectively textured surface includes a specified pattern.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the pattern has a specified depth on the selectively textured surface.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein there is a spatial variation in the incorporation of the indium in the indium-containing light-emitting Group-III nitride layers.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein the one or more indium-containing light-emitting Group-III nitride layers deposited on the selectively textured surface produces a peak wavelength from a textured area of the surface that is different from a peak wavelength from a non-textured area of the surface.