Semiconductor light-emitting element

• US 10,062,805 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2015
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited, University of Tokyo
• Original Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited, University of Tokyo
• Inventors: Fujii, Yusaku, Sugiyama, Masakazu, Manish, Mathew
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Tucker J
• Application Number:
  US15/525,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20180033911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0025 comprising only AIIIBV compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• 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 33/12 with a stress relaxation structure, e.g. buffer layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/145 with a current-blocking structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/24 of the light emitting region, e.g. non-planar junction
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen

Abstract

A semiconductor light-emitting element includes a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type; a light-emitting functional layer that includes a light-emitting layer; and a second semiconductor layer that is formed on the light-emitting functional layer and is of a conductivity type opposite to a conductivity type of the first semiconductor layer. The light-emitting layer includes a base layer which has a composition subject to stress strain from the first semiconductor layer and has a plurality of base segments that are partitioned in a random net shape; and a quantum well structure layer composed of at least one quantum well layer and at least one barrier layer. The base layer has a composition of Al_xGa_1−xN (0≤x≤1), and the barrier layer has a composition of Al_yGa_1−yN (0≤y<1), and the composition x and the composition y satisfy a relation of x>y.

Claims

1. A semiconductor light-emitting element comprising:

a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type;

a light-emitting functional layer that is formed on the first semiconductor layer and includes a light-emitting layer; and

a second semiconductor layer that is formed on the light-emitting functional layer and is of a conductivity type opposite to a conductivity type of the first semiconductor layer,

wherein;

the light-emitting layer includes;

a base layer which has a composition subject to stress from the first semiconductor layer and has a plurality of base segments that are partitioned in a random net shape; and

a quantum well structure layer formed on the base layer and composed of at least one quantum well layer and at least one barrier layer, and

the base layer has a composition of Al_xGa<sub>1−

x</sub>N (0≤

x≤

1), the at least one barrier layer has a composition of Al_yGa<sub>1−

y</sub>N (0≤

y<

1), wherein x and y satisfy a relation of x >

y.

2. The semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor layer has a composition of GaN, and the at least one quantum well layer has a composition of InGaN.

3. The semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein:

the quantum well structure layer has a multiple quantum well structure, and

each barrier layer of the multiple quantum well structure is formed such that an Al composition decreases as a distance to the second semiconductor layer decreases.

4. The semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the base layer has a layer thickness that causes a tunnel effect of a carrier.

5. The semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein the base layer has an AlN composition, and a barrier layer of the at least one barrier layer located closest to the second semiconductor layer has a GaN composition.

6. The semiconductor light-emitting element according to claim 1, wherein between the first semiconductor layer and the light-emitting layer, the light-emitting functional layer has another light-emitting layer composed of at least one quantum well layer and a plurality of barrier layers.