Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device and production method therefor

• US 7,989,238 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Okuno, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghyka; Alexander G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang; Leonard
• Application Number:
  US12/457,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20090309126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 438/22, 438 29- 32, 438/39, 438/41, 438/42, 257/79, 257/80, 257/85, 257/87, 257/98, 257/E21.097, 257/E21.098, 257/E21.108, 257/E21.112, 257/E21.117, 257/E21.118, 257/E21.126, 257/E21.157, 257/E21.172, 257/E21.386, 257/E21.398
• US Class Current: 438/29
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0242 Crystalline insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02458 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02491 Conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02502 consisting of two layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0254 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• 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 33/12 with a stress relaxation structure, e.g. buffer layer

Abstract

Provided is a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device including aluminum regions. The Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device includes a sapphire substrate; aluminum regions which are formed on the substrate; an AlN buffer layer; an Si-doped GaN n-contact layer; an n-cladding layer formed of multiple layer units, each including an undoped In_0.1Ga_0.9N layer, an undoped GaN layer, and a silicon (Si)-doped GaN layer; an MQW light-emitting layer including alternately stacked eight well layers formed of In_0.2Ga_0.8N and eight barrier layers formed of GaN and Al_0.06Ga_0.94N; a p-cladding layer formed of multiple layers including a p-type Al_0.3Ga_0.7N layer and a p-type In_0.08Ga_0.92N layer; a p-contact layer having a layered structure including two p-type GaN layers having different magnesium concentrations; and an ITO light-transmitting electrode.

Claims

1. A method for producing a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device, comprising:

forming metallic aluminum regions on a substrate;

forming a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor single-crystal layer, via a buffer layer, on a portion of the substrate on which no metallic aluminum regions are formed, so that the metallic aluminum regions are covered with the Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor single-crystal layer; and

stacking, on the Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor single-crystal layer, a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor layer having a predetermined composition and containing an impurity of interest.

2. A method for producing a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein dents are formed in the substrate, and the metallic aluminum regions are formed in the dents.

3. A method for producing a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 2, wherein the buffer layer is formed on the substrate before formation of the metallic aluminum regions.

4. A method for producing a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 2, wherein the buffer layer is formed after formation of the metallic aluminum regions on the substrate.

5. A method for producing a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the buffer layer is formed on the substrate before formation of the metallic aluminum regions.

6. A method for producing a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 5, wherein surface layers of the metallic aluminum regions are nitrided with ammonia before formation of the Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor single-crystal layer.

7. A method for producing a Group III nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the buffer layer is formed after formation of the metallic aluminum regions on the substrate.