IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,677,507
Granted Patent B2
US 12,677,507 · App. 17/373,140 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Light emitting element and method of manufacturing light emitting element

Inventor: Yasunobu Hosokawa (Tokushima, JP)
Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
H10H20/82H10H20/01335H10H20/825H10H20/835H10H20/032
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,677,507
App. No.
17/373,140
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A light emitting element includes a first conductivity type semiconductor layer that is a nitride semiconductor layer containing Al and Ga. The first conductivity type semiconductor layer includes a first layer and a second layer. An Al percentage composition of the first layer is lower than an Al percentage composition of the second layer. The first conductivity type semiconductor layer has a first region and a second region. The first region is a region where the second conductivity type semiconductor layer and the active layer are stacked. The second region is exposed from the second conductivity type semiconductor layer and the active layer, and is connected to a first conductive member. A thickness of the first layer in the first region is smaller than a thickness of the first layer in the second region, or the second layer is exposed from the first layer in the first region.

Claims (33)

1 . A light emitting element comprising:

a semiconductor stack comprising:

a first conductivity type semiconductor layer,

a second conductivity type semiconductor layer, and

an active layer disposed between the first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer;

a first conductive member electrically connected to the first conductivity type semiconductor layer; and

a second conductive member electrically connected to the second conductivity type semiconductor layer; wherein:

the first conductivity type semiconductor layer is a nitride semiconductor layer containing Al and Ga, the first conductivity type semiconductor layer comprises a first layer and a second layer, and an Al percentage composition of the first layer is lower than an Al percentage composition of the second layer;

the first conductivity type semiconductor layer comprises:

a first region under which the second conductivity type semiconductor layer and the active layer are stacked; and

a second region in which a lower surface of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer is exposed from the second conductivity type semiconductor layer and the active layer, wherein, in the second region, a lower surface of the second layer directly contacts an upper surface of the first conductive member;

a thickness of the first layer in the first region is smaller than a thickness of the first layer in the second region; and

a plurality of first protrusions are formed on an upper surface of the second layer in the first region, and a plurality of second protrusions are formed on an upper surface of the first layer in the second region, wherein an arithmetic mean height of the first protrusions is greater than an arithmetic mean height of the second protrusions.

2 . The light emitting element according to claim 1 , wherein:

a thickness of the second layer in the second region is smaller than the thickness of the first layer in the second region.

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

a thickness of the second layer in the second region is no more than 80% of the thickness of the first layer in the second region.

4 . The light emitting element according to claim 1 , wherein:

a peak wavelength of light from the active layer is no more than 400 nm.

5 . The light emitting element according to claim 1 , wherein:

the second conductive member and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer are located below the first region of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer.

6 . A light emitting element comprising:

a semiconductor stack comprising:

a first conductivity type semiconductor layer,

a second conductivity type semiconductor layer, and

an active layer disposed between the first conductivity type semiconductor layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer;

a first conductive member electrically connected to the first conductivity type semiconductor layer; and

a second conductive member electrically connected to the second conductivity type semiconductor layer; wherein:

the first conductivity type semiconductor layer is a nitride semiconductor layer containing Al and Ga, the first conductivity type semiconductor layer comprises a first layer and a second layer, and an Al percentage composition of the first layer is lower than an Al percentage composition of the second layer;

the first conductivity type semiconductor layer comprises:

a first region under which the second conductivity type semiconductor layer and the active layer are stacked, wherein, in the first region, an upper surface of the second layer is exposed from the first layer, and

a second region in which the lower surface of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer is exposed from the second conductivity type semiconductor layer and the active layer, the second region being connected to the first conductive member; and

a plurality of first protrusions are formed on an upper surface of the second layer in the first region, and a plurality of second protrusions are formed on an upper surface of the first layer in the second region, wherein an arithmetic mean height of the first protrusions is greater than an arithmetic mean height of the second protrusions.