Multi-luminous element and method for manufacturing same

• US 9,508,897 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2014
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea Photonics Technology Institute
• Original Assignee: Korea Photonics Technology Institute
• Inventors: Jeon, Seong Ran, Kim, Jae Bum, Lee, Seung Jae
• Primary Examiner(s): Page, Dale E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BODNAR, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US14/277,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20140246649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/08 with a plurality of light emitting regions, e.g. laterally discontinuous light emitting layer or photoluminescent region integrated within the semiconductor body H01L27/15 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multi-luminous element and a method for manufacturing the same. The present invention provides the multi-luminous element comprising: a buffer layer disposed on a substrate; a first type semiconductor layer disposed on the buffer layer; a first active layer which is disposed on the first type semiconductor layer and is patterned to expose a part of the first type semiconductor layer; a second active layer disposed on the first type semiconductor layer which is exposed by the first active layer; and a second type semiconductor layer disposed on the first active layer and the second active layer, the first and second active layers being repeatedly disposed in the horizontal direction, and the method for manufacturing the same. The multi-luminous element according to the present invention reduces loss of light emitting efficiency and can generate multi-wavelength light by repeatedly disposing the first and second active layers in the horizontal direction.

Claims

1. A multi-luminous element comprising:

a buffer layer located on a substrate;

a first type semiconductor layer located on the buffer layer;

a first active layer located on the first type semiconductor layer, the first active layer (i) having one or more openings to expose the first type semiconductor layer and (ii) emitting light of a first wavelength;

a second active layer disposed at said one or more openings of the first active layer, and emitting light of a second wavelength;

a second type semiconductor layer located on the first active layer and the second active layer, and

a mask pattern located between the first active layer and the second type semiconductor layer,

wherein the first active layer and the second active layer are horizontally and repeatedly disposed side by side.

2. The multi-luminous element of claim 1, further comprising:

a seed layer located between the buffer layer and the first type semiconductor layer.

3. The multi-luminous element of claim 1, wherein the second active layer is divided into at least two sections which are separated by the first active layer.

4. The multi-luminous element of claim 1, wherein the first active layer or the second active layer has a multiple quantum wells (MQWs) structure.

5. The multi-luminous element of claim 4, wherein the first active layer includes at least one barrier layer and at least one well layer which are stacked by turns, wherein the barrier layer includes Al_x1Ga₁₋

x1−

y1In<sub>1−

x1</sub>N(0<

x1<

1, 0<

y1<

1, x1+y1<

1), and wherein the well layer includes Al_x2Ga<sub>1−

x2−

y2</sub>In<sub>1−

x2</sub>N(0<

x2<

1, 0<

y2<

1, x2+y2<

1, x2<

x1, y2<

y1).

6. The multi-luminous element of claim 4, wherein the second active layer includes at least one barrier layer and at least one well layer which are stacked by turns, wherein the barrier layer includes Al_x3Ga₁₋

x3−

y3In<sub>1−

x3</sub>N(0<

x3<

1, 0<

y3<

1, x3+y3<

1), and wherein the well layer includes Al_x4Ga<sub>1−

x4−

y4</sub>In<sub>1−

x4</sub>N(0<

x4<

1, 0<

y4<

1, x4+y4<

1, x4<

x3, y4<

y3).

7. The multi-luminous element of claim 1, wherein the first active layer includes at least one barrier layer and at least one well layer which are stacked by turns, wherein the second active layer includes at least one barrier layer and at least one well layer which are stacked by turns, and wherein the barrier layer has a thickness of 5 to 15 nm and the well layer has a thickness of 1 to 3 nm.

8. The multi-luminous element of claim 1, wherein the first active layer is patterned to expose the part of the first type semiconductor layer in the form of a linear type pattern having a specific width, a circular type pattern having a specific diameter, or a polygonal type pattern including a rectangular type pattern having a specific breadth, in a plan view.

9. The multi-luminous element of claim 1, wherein light with the third wavelength is produced by interference between light with the first wavelength emitted from the first active layer and light with the second wavelength emitted from the second active layer.

10. The multi-luminous element of claim 1, wherein the width, diameter or breadth of the first active layer satisfies a specific condition λ

₁/4n₁,

wherein λ

₁ denotes the first wavelength of light emitted from the first active layer, and n₁ means a refractive index of the first active layer, and

wherein the width, diameter or breadth of the second active layer satisfies a specific condition λ

₂/4n₂, wherein λ

₂ denotes the second wavelength of light emitted from the second active layer, and n₂ means a refractive index of the second active layer.

11. The multi-luminous element of claim 1, wherein the first and second active layers have the same constituents, and the first active layer is different in a composition ratio from the second active layer.

12. The multi-luminous element of claim 1, wherein one or more openings are filled with the second active layer.