US5369289A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device and method for making the same
Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co Ltd
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Filing: 1992-10-30
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Granted: 1994-11-29
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Expires: 2012-10-30
Abstract
Abstract A light-emitting device comprises an n-type layer made of an n-type gallium nitride-based compound of the formula Al x Ga 1-x N, wherein 0≦X<1, and an i-type layer formed on the n-type layer and made of a semi-insulating i-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor and doped with a p-type impurity for junction with the n-type layer. A first electrode is formed on the surface of the i-type layer and made of a transparent conductive film and a second electrode is formed to connect to the n-type layer through the i-type layer. The device is so arranged that light is emitted from the side of the i-type layer to the outside. When an electric current is supplied to the first electrode from a wire contacted thereto, the first electrode is held entirely at a uniform potential. Light is emitted from the entire interface beneath the first electrode and can thus be picked up from the first electrode which is optically transparent.
Inventors
- 👤 Makoto Tamaki
- 👤 Takahiro Kozawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 18:48
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10H; H10H20/00; H10H20/80; H10H20/83; H10H20/831; H10H20/8312; H10H20/81; H10H20/822; H10H20/824; H10H20/825; H10H20/832; H10W; H10W72/00; H10W72/50; H10W72/551; H10W72/552; H10W72/5522; H10W72/851; H10W72/874; H10W72/884; H10W72/90; H10W72/921; H10W72/926
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device which comprises: an n-type layer made of an n-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor of the formula Al x Ga 1-x N, wherein 0≦X<1; an i-type layer formed on the n-type layer and made of a semi-insulating i-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor of the formula Al x Ga 1-x N, wherein 0≦X<1, and doped with a p-type impurity for junction with the n-type layer; a first electrode formed on the surface of the i-type layer and made of a transparent conductive film; and a second electrode formed to connect to the n-type layer wherein light is emitted from the side of the i-type layer to the outside, wherein said first electrode is formed at a central portion of said i-type layer and said second electrode is provided around said first electrode and connected to a side wall of said n-type layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device which comprises: an n-type layer made of an n-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor of the formula Al x Ga 1-x N, wherein 0≦X<1; an i-type layer formed on the n-type layer and made of a semi-insulating i-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor of the formula Al x Ga 1-x N, wherein 0≦X<1, and doped with a p-type impurity for junction with the n-type layer; a first electrode formed on the surface of the i-type layer and made of a transparent conductive film; and a second electrode formed to connect to the n-type layer wherein light is emitted from the side of the i-type layer to the outside, wherein said first electrode is formed at a central portion of said i-type layer and said second electrode is provided around said first electrode and connected to a side wall of said n-type layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said second electrode is formed to connect with said n-type layer by making cross-cut grooves from a side of said i-type layer to the surface of said sapphire substrate depending on the chip size of a light-emitting device, and a metal material, filling said grooves and separating said sapphire substrate along said cross-cut grooves.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising a sapphire substrate on which said n-type layer is formed, said sapphire substrate having a reflection layer on a side opposite to said n-type layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 3, further comprising a frame substrate to which said reflection layer is connected.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said transparent conductive film consists of tin-added indium oxide (ITO).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, further comprising a terminal electrode formed at one corner of said first electrode and having a nickel lowermost layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said second electrode has a three layer structure consisting of aluminum, nickel and gold layers formed in this order from a side contacting the n-type layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said n-type layer is of double-layer structure including an n-layer of low carrier concentration and an n + -layer of high carrier concentration, the former being adjacent to said i-layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 3, further comprising a buffer layer formed on said sapphire substrate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
158 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device which comprises: an n-type layer made of an n-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor of the formula Al x Ga 1-x N, wherein 0≦X<1; an i-type layer formed on the n-type layer and made of a semi-insulating i-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor of the formula Al x Ga 1-x N, wherein 0≦X<1, and doped with a p-type impurity for junction with the n-type layer; a first electrode formed on the surface of the i-type layer and made of a transparent conductive film; and a second electrode formed to connect to the n-type layer through the i-type layer, wherein light is emitted from the side of the i-type layer to the outside, wherein said second electrode is connected to said n-type layer at a central portion of said i-type layer through said i-type layer and said first electrode is formed on said i-type layer around said second electrode and in spaced relation to said second electrode.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
158 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device which comprises: an n-type layer made of an n-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor of the formula Al x Ga 1-x N, wherein 0≦X<1; an i-type layer formed on the n-type layer and made of a semi-insulating i-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor of the formula Al x Ga 1-x N, wherein 0≦X<1, and doped with a p-type impurity for junction with the n-type layer; a first electrode formed on the surface of the i-type layer and made of a transparent conductive film; and a second electrode formed to connect to the n-type layer through the i-type layer, wherein light is emitted from the side of the i-type layer to the outside, wherein said second electrode is connected to said n-type layer at a central portion of said i-type layer through said i-type layer and said first electrode is formed on said i-type layer around said second electrode and in spaced relation to said second electrode.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 10, further comprising a sapphire substrate on which said n-type layer is formed, said sapphire substrate having a reflection layer on a side opposite to said n-type layer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 10, further comprising a reflection film and a frame substrate to which said reflection film is connected.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 10, wherein said transparent conductive film of said first electrode consists of tin-added indium oxide (ITO).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 10, further comprising a terminal electrode formed at one corner of said first electrode and having a nickel lowermost layer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 10, wherein said second electrode has a three layer structure consisting of aluminum, nickel and gold layers formed in that order from a side contacting the n-type layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 10, wherein said second electrode is formed to connect with said n-type layer by making a hole which extends through a part of said i-type layer to said n-type layer and filling the hole with a metal material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 10, wherein said n-type layer is of double-layer structure including an n-layer of low carrier concentration and an n + -layer of high carrier concentration, the former being adjacent to said i-layer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 10, further comprising a buffer layer formed on said sapphire substrate.
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