Nitride semiconductor light emitting device and fabrication method thereof

• US 9,190,567 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• 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:
  US14/604,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20150137071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 conductive type semiconductor layer;

an active layer on the first conductive type semiconductor layer; and

a second conductive type semiconductor layer on the active layer;

wherein the second conductive type semiconductor layer comprises a delta doped delta-doped p-type semiconductor layer on the active layer,

wherein the delta-doped p-type semiconductor layer includes at least a first p-type nitride semiconductor layer near the active layer and at least a delta-doped second p-type nitride semiconductor layer that goes away from the active layer, and

wherein the first conductive type semiconductor layer comprises a GaN layer and the delta doped second p-type nitride semiconductor layer comprises a GaN layer.

2. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a dopant concentration of the delta-doped second p-type nitride semiconductor layer is higher than a dopant concentration of the first p-type nitride semiconductor layer.

3. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the dopant concentration of the delta-doped second p-type nitride semiconductor layer is non-linearly decreased toward the first p-type nitride semiconductor layer.

4. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the delta-doped second p-type nitride semiconductor layer has a maximum dopant concentration and the first p-type nitride semiconductor layer has a minimum dopant concentration.

5. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive type nitride semiconductor layer further comprises a AlGaN layer.

6. The light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive type nitride semiconductor layer further comprises a InGaN layer.

7. A light emitting device comprising:

a first conductive type semiconductor layer;

an active layer on the first conductive type semiconductor layer; and

a second conductive type semiconductor layer on the active layer,

wherein the second conductive type semiconductor layer comprises a delta doped p-type semiconductor layer on the active layer,

wherein the second conductive type semiconductor layer includes a p-type dopant, and

wherein the second conductive type semiconductor layer has a doping profile comprising a plurality of peaks.

8. The light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein the second conductive type semiconductor layer comprises a p-type GaN layer and a p-type AlGaN layer, and

wherein the plurality of peaks are disposed in the p-type GaN layer.

9. 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

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, and

wherein the second nitride semiconductor layer comprises a p-type Al GaN layer and the p-type AlGaN layer includes Mg—

Al—

In.

10. The light emitting device according to claim 9, wherein the doping profile comprises a first doping portion that has a minimum doping concentration and a second doping portion that has a maximum doping concentration.

11. The light emitting device according to claim 10, wherein the first doping portion is near the active layer and the second doping portion goes away from the active layer.

12. The light emitting device according to claim 10, wherein the doping profile has a curve that non-linearly decreases from the maximum doping concentration to the minimum doping concentration.

13. The light emitting device according to claim 10, wherein the first doping portion and the second doping portion have the same dopants.

14. The light emitting device according to claim 10, wherein the doping profile has a wide doping profile obtained by that dopants are diffused from the second doping portion to the first doping portion.

15. The light emitting device according to claim 9, wherein the first conductive type semiconductor layer comprises an n-GaN layer formed by a Si—

In simultaneous doping.

16. The light emitting device according to claim 9, wherein the second nitride semiconductor layer further comprises a p-type GaN layer and

wherein p-type dopant of at least one portion of the p-type GaN layer is more heavily doped than p-type dopant of the p-type AlGaN layer.

17. The light emitting device according to claim 9, wherein the first nitride semiconductor layer comprises at least two times AlGaN/GaN super lattice structure of at least two layers.

18. The light emitting device according to claim 9, wherein the second nitride semiconductor layer has the doping profile comprising a plurality of peaks.

19. The light emitting device according to claim 18, wherein the second nitride semiconductor layer further comprises a p-type GaN layer, and

wherein the plurality of peaks are disposed in the p-type GaN layer.