Substrate, template substrate, semiconductor light emitting element, semiconductor light emitting element producing method, illumination device using semiconductor light emitting element and electronic device

• US 9,024,331 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2010
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakano, Yohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Parker, Kenneth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fan, Bo
• Application Number:
  US13/516,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20120248459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,604 Days
• Field of Search: 257/507, 257/627, 257/76, 257/13, 257/103, 257/E33.023, 257/E33.025, 438/46, 438/47, 438/479
• US Class Current: 257/79
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/20 Aluminium oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0237 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0242 Crystalline insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0243 Surface structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02458 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02505 consisting of more than two layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0254 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen

Abstract

Disclosed is a semiconductor light emitting element (LC) provided with a substrate (110) having one surface on which plural hexagonal-pyramid-shaped protrusions (110b) are provided, a base layer (130) provided so as to be in contact with the surface on which the protrusions (110b) are provided, an n-type semiconductor layer (140) provided so as to be in contact with the base layer (130), a light emitting layer (150) provided so as to be in contact with the n-type semiconductor layer (140), and a p-type semiconductor layer (160) provided so as to be in contact with the light emitting layer (150). Each protrusion (110b) scatters light in lateral and oblique directions within the semiconductor light emitting element (LC). The protrusions are densely arranged on a substrate on which semiconductor layers are laminated, so that the light extraction efficiency is improved.

Claims

1. A substrate for laminating a semiconductor layer thereon, wherein a plurality of protrusions in a hexagonal-pyramid shape is provided directly on the surface on which the semiconductor layer is laminated, and a side of the bottom surface of each of the plurality of protrusions is set in parallel with a side of the bottom surface of an adjacent protrusion,

wherein the substrate is composed of single crystal sapphire whose C-plane is a principal plane, and

at least two parallel sides of the hexagon of the bottom surface of each protrusion in the hexagonal-pyramid shape among the plurality of protrusions are set in parallel with an A-axis of the substrate.

2. The substrate according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of protrusions provided on the substrate is arranged by locating centers of the bottom surfaces of three protrusions adjacent to one another among the plurality of protrusions on corners of a triangle, and repeating the triangle.

3. A substrate for laminating a semiconductor layer thereon, wherein a plurality of protrusions in a hexagonal-pyramid shape is provided directly on the surface on which the semiconductor layer is laminated, and a side of the bottom surface of each of the plurality of protrusions is set in parallel with a side of the bottom surface of an adjacent protrusion,

wherein the substrate is composed of single crystal sapphire whose C-plane is a principal plane, and

at least two parallel sides of the hexagon of the bottom surface of each protrusion in the hexagonal-pyramid shape among the plurality of protrusions are set orthogonal to an A-axis of the substrate.

4. A template substrate comprising:

a substrate on one surface of which a plurality of protrusions in a hexagonal-pyramid shape is provided, a side of the bottom surface of each of the plurality of protrusions being set in parallel with a side of the bottom surface of an adjacent protrusion; and

a group III-V compound semiconductor that is epitaxially grown on the one surface of the substrate,

wherein the substrate is composed of single crystal sapphire whose C-plane is a principal plane, and

at least two parallel sides of the hexagon of the bottom surface of each protrusion in the hexagonal-pyramid shape among the plurality of protrusions are set in parallel with an A-axis of the substrate.

5. The template substrate according to claim 4, wherein the group III-V compound semiconductor is a compound semiconductor containing gallium (Ga) and nitrogen (N) in a composition thereof.

6. A semiconductor light emitting element comprising:

a substrate on one surface of which a plurality of protrusions in a hexagonal-pyramid shape is provided, and a side of a bottom surface of each of the plurality of protrusions is set in parallel with a side of a bottom surface of an adjacent protrusion; and

a laminated semiconductor layer that is provided on the substrate and includes a light emitting layer to emit light of a predetermined wavelength,

wherein the substrate is composed of single crystal sapphire whose C-plane is a principal plane, and

at least two parallel sides of the hexagon of the bottom surface of each protrusion in the hexagonal-pyramid shape among the plurality of protrusions are set in parallel with an A-axis of the substrate.

7. A method for producing the semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 6, the method comprising:

a substrate processing step in which a plurality of protrusions in a hexagonal-pyramid shape is provided on one surface of the substrate so that bottom surfaces thereof are adjacent so that two sides become parallel; and

a laminated semiconductor layer forming step in which a laminated semiconductor layer including a light emitting layer to emit light of a predetermined wavelength is formed on the substrate.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the substrate processing step comprises:

a mask forming step in which a plurality of masks having a planar shape similar to a shape of the bottom surface of the protrusion in the hexagonal-pyramid shape is formed; and

a substrate etching step in which the plurality of protrusions is formed while reducing the planar shape of the plurality of masks by dry etching.

9. An illumination device comprising a semiconductor light emitting element, the semiconductor light emitting element including:

a substrate on one surface of which a plurality of protrusions in a hexagonal-pyramid shape is provided, a side of the bottom surface of each of the plurality of protrusions being set in parallel with a side of the bottom surface of an adjacent protrusion; and

a laminated semiconductor layer that is provided on the substrate and includes a light emitting layer to emit light of a predetermined wavelength,

wherein the substrate is composed of single crystal sapphire whose C-plane is a principal plane, and

at least two parallel sides of the hexagon of the bottom surface of each protrusion in the hexagonal-pyramid shape among the plurality of protrusions are set in parallel with an A-axis of the substrate.

10. An electronic device comprising a semiconductor light emitting element, the semiconductor light emitting element including:

a substrate on one surface of which a plurality of protrusions in a hexagonal-pyramid shape is provided, a side of the bottom surface of each of the plurality of protrusions being set in parallel with a side of the bottom surface of an adjacent protrusion; and

a laminated semiconductor layer that is provided on the substrate and includes a light emitting layer to emit light of a predetermined wavelength,

wherein the substrate is composed of single crystal sapphire whose C-plane is a principal plane, and

at least two parallel sides of the hexagon of the bottom surface of each protrusion in the hexagonal-pyramid shape among the plurality of protrusions are set in parallel with an A-axis of the substrate.