IP Library Granted Patent US 7,652,281
Granted Patent B2
US 7,652,281 · App. 11/848,709 · Granted Jan 26, 2010

Light emitting diode

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,652,281
App. No.
11/848,709
Granted
Jan 26, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

On a GaAs substrate 1 , a light emitting part 4 , an intermediate layer 5 of AlGaInP and a current spreading layer 6 are sequentially formed. The light emitting part 4 includes a first conductivity type AlGaInP based lower cladding layer 41 , an AlGaInP based light emitting layer 42 , and a second conductivity type AlGaInP based upper cladding layer 43 sequentially formed on the GaAs substrate 1 . In each layer of the light emitting part 4 , a hydrogen concentration is not more than 2×10 17 cm −3 , a carbon concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 , and an oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 . In a partial region or in a total region of the current-spreading layer 6 , a hydrogen concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 , a carbon concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 , and an oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 .

Claims (82)

1. A light emitting diode comprising:

a first conductivity type GaAs substrate;

a Bragg reflection layer comprising at least two kinds of materials having different Al compositions, each of which is selected from a first conductivity type Al x0 Ga 1−x0 As (0≦x0≦1);

a lower cladding layer comprising a first conductivity type (Al x1 Ga 1−x1 ) y1 In 1−y1 P (0≦x1≦1, 0.4≦y1 ≦0.6);

a light emitting layer comprising an intrinsic semiconductor layer having a multiquantum well structure comprising an (Al x2 Ga 1−x2 ) y2 In 1−y2 P (0≦x2≦1, 0.4≦y2≦0.6);

an upper cladding layer comprising a second conductivity type (Al x3 Ga 1−x3 ) y3 In 1−y3 P (0≦x3≦1, 0.4≦y3≦0.6); and

a current spreading layer comprising a second conductivity type GaP layer;

wherein a first hydrogen concentration is not more than 2×10 17 cm −3 , a first carbon concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 , and a first oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 in each of the lower cladding layer, the light emitting layer, and the upper cladding layer, and a second hydrogen concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 , a second carbon concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 , and a second oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 in a partial region or in a total region of the current-spreading layer.

2. The light emitting diode according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an intermediate layer provided between the upper cladding layer and the current-spreading layer, the intermediate layer comprising (Al x7 Ga 1−x7 ) y7 In 1−y7 P (0≦x7≦1, 0≦y7≦1) doped with a second conductivity type dopant having a concentration higher than that of a second conductivity type dopant in the upper cladding layer;

wherein a third hydrogen concentration is not more than 1×10 18 cm −3 , a third carbon concentration is not more than 1×10 18 cm −3 , and a third oxygen concentration is not more than 5×10 16 cm −3 in the intermediate layer.

3. The light emitting diode according to claim 2 , wherein:

the concentration of the second conductivity type dopant of the intermediate layer is not less than 5×10 17 cm −3 , and the intermediate layer further includes a first conductivity type dopant having a concentration lower than that of the second conductivity type dopant.

4. A light emitting diode comprising:

a first conductivity type GaAs substrate;

a Bragg reflection layer comprising at least two kinds of materials having different Al compositions, each of which is selected from a first conductivity type (Al x4 Ga 1−x4 ) y4 In 1−y4 P (0≦x4≦1, 0.4≦y4≦0.6);

a lower cladding layer comprising a first conductivity type (Al x1 Ga 1−x1 ) y1 In 1−y1 P (0≦x1≦1, 0.4≦y1≦0.6);

a light emitting layer comprising an intrinsic semiconductor layer having a multiquantum well structure comprising an (Al x2 Ga 1−x2 ) y2 In 1−y2 P (0≦x2≦1, 0.4≦y2≦0.6);

an upper cladding layer comprising a second conductivity type (Al x3 Ga 1−x3 ) y3 In 1−y3 P (0≦x3≦1, 0.4≦y3≦0.6); and

a current spreading layer comprising a second conductivity type GaP layer;

wherein a first hydrogen concentration is not more than 2×10 17 cm −3 , a first carbon concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 , and a first oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 in each of the lower cladding layer, the light emitting layer, and the upper cladding layer, and a second hydrogen concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 , a second carbon concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 , and a second oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 in a partial region or in a total region of the current-spreading layer.

5. A light emitting diode comprising:

a first conductivity type GaAs substrate;

a Bragg reflection layer comprising materials selected from a first conductivity type Al x5 Ga 1−x5 As (0≦x5≦1) and a first conductivity type (Al x6 Ga 1−x6 ) y6 In 1−y6 P (0≦x6≦1, 0.4≦y6≦0.6);

a lower cladding layer comprising a first conductivity type (Al x1 Ga 1−x1 ) y1 In 1−y1 P (0≦x1≦1, 0.4≦y1≦0.6);

a light emitting layer comprising an intrinsic semiconductor layer having a multiquantum well structure comprising an (Al x2 Ga 1−x2 ) y2 In 1−y2 P (0≦x2≦1, 0.4≦y2≦0.6);

an upper cladding layer comprising a second conductivity type (Al x3 Ga 1−x3 ) y3 In 1−y3 P (0≦x3≦1, 0.4≦y3≦0.6); and

a current spreading layer comprising a second conductivity type GaP layer;

wherein a first hydrogen concentration is not more than 2×10 17 cm −3 , a first carbon concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 , and a first oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 in each of the lower cladding layer, the light emitting layer, and the upper cladding layer, and a second hydrogen concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 , a second carbon concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 , and a second oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 in a partial region or in a total region of the current-spreading layer.

6. A light emitting diode comprising:

an n-type GaAs substrate;

a Bragg reflection layer comprising at least two kinds of materials having different Al compositions, each of which is selected from an n-type Al x0 Ga 1−x0 As (0≦x0≦1);

a lower cladding layer comprising an n-type (Al x1 Ga 1−x1 ) y1 In 1−y1 P (0≦x1≦1, 0.4≦y1≦0.6);

a light emitting layer comprising an intrinsic semiconductor layer having a multiquantum well structure comprising an (Al x2 Ga 1−x2 ) y2 In 1−y2 P (0≦x2≦1, 0.4y2≦0.6);

an upper cladding layer comprising a Mg-doped p-type (Al x3 Ga 1−x3 ) y3 In 1−y3 P (0≦x3≦1, 0.4≦y3≦0.6); and

a current spreading layer comprising a Mg-doped p-type GaP layer;

wherein a first hydrogen concentration is not more than 2×10 17 cm −3 , a first carbon concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 , and a first oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 in each of the lower cladding layer, the light emitting layer, and the upper cladding layer, and a second hydrogen concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 , a second carbon concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 , and a second oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 in a partial region or in a total region of the current-spreading layer.

7. The light emitting diode according to claim 6 , further comprising:

an intermediate layer provided between the upper cladding layer and the current-spreading layer, the intermediate layer comprising (Al x7 Ga 1−x7 ) y7 In 1−y7 P (0≦x7≦1, 0≦y7≦1) doped with Mg to have a Mg concentration higher than that in the upper cladding layer;

wherein a third hydrogen concentration is not more than 1×10 18 cm −3 , a third carbon concentration is not more than 1×10 18 cm −3 , and a third oxygen concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 in the intermediate layer.

8. The light emitting diode according to claim 7 , wherein:

the intermediate layer includes at least one element selected from a group consisting of Si, Se, and Te as an n-type dopant, and a total of n-type dopant concentration is not less than 5×10 17 cm −3 as well as lower than the Mg concentration.

9. A light emitting diode comprising:

an n-type GaAs substrate;

a Bragg reflection layer comprising at least two kinds of materials having different Al compositions, each of which is selected from an n-type (Al x4 Ga 1−x4 ) y4 In 1−y4 P (0≦x4≦1, 0.4≦y4≦0.6);

a lower cladding layer comprising an n-type (Al x1 Ga 1−x1 ) y1 In 1−y1 P (0≦x1≦1, 0.4≦y1≦0.6);

a light emitting layer comprising an intrinsic semiconductor layer having a multiquantum well structure comprising an (Al x2 Ga 1−x2 ) y2 In 1−y2 P (0≦x2≦1, 0.4≦y2≦0.6);

an upper cladding layer comprising a Mg-doped p-type (Al x3 Ga 1−x3 ) y3 In 1−y3 P (0≦x3≦1, 0.4≦y3≦0.6); and

a current spreading layer comprising a Mg-doped p-type GaP layer;

wherein a first hydrogen concentration is not more than 2×10 17 cm −3 , a first carbon concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 , and a first oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 in each of the lower cladding layer, the light emitting layer, and the upper cladding layer, and a second hydrogen concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 , a second carbon concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 , and a second oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 in a partial region or in a total region of the current-spreading layer.

10. A light emitting diode comprising:

an n-type GaAs substrate;

a Bragg reflection layer comprising materials selected from an n-type Al x5 Ga 1−x5 As (0≦x5≦1) and an n-type (Al x6 Ga 1−x6 ) y6 In 1−y6 P (0≦x6≦1, 0.4≦y6≦0.6);

a lower cladding layer comprising an n-type (Al x1 Ga 1−x1 ) y1 In 1−y1 P (0≦x1≦1, 0.4≦y1≦0.6);

a light emitting layer comprising an intrinsic semiconductor layer having a multiquantum well structure comprising an (Al x2 Ga 1−x2 ) y2 In 1−y2 P (0≦x2≦1, 0.4y2≦0.6);

an upper cladding layer comprising a Mg-doped p-type (Al x3 Ga 1−x3 ) y3 In 1−y3 P (0≦x3≦1, 0.4≦y3≦0.6); and

a current spreading layer comprising a Mg-doped p-type GaP layer;

wherein a first hydrogen concentration is not more than 2×10 17 cm −3 , a first carbon concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 , and a first oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 in each of the lower cladding layer, the light emitting layer, and the upper cladding layer, and a second hydrogen concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 , a second carbon concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 , and a second oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 in a partial region or in a total region of the current-spreading layer.

11. A light emitting diode comprising:

a conductive substrate;

a multilayered crystal layer comprising a plurality of compound semiconductor crystal layers joined with the conductive substrate via a metal layer, the multilayered crystal layer comprising:

a lower cladding layer comprising a first conductivity type (Al x1 Ga 1−x1 ) y1 In 1−y1 P (0≦x1≦1, 0.4≦y1≦0.6);

a light emitting layer comprising an intrinsic semiconductor layer having a multiquantum well structure comprising an (Al x2 Ga 1−x2 ) y2 In 1−y2 P (0≦x2≦1, 0.4≦y2≦0.6); and

an upper cladding layer comprising a second conductivity type (Al x3 Ga 1−x3 ) y3 In 1−y3 P (0≦x3≦1, 0.4≦y3≦0.6), sequentially deposited from a side in vicinity of the conductive substrate; and

wherein a hydrogen concentration is not more than 2×10 17 cm −3 , a carbon concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 , and an oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 in each of the lower cladding layer, the light emitting layer, and the upper cladding layer.

12. The light emitting diode according to claim 11 , further comprising:

a first conductivity type GaP layer provided between the conductive substrate and the lower cladding layer,

wherein a hydrogen concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 , a carbon concentration is not more than 5×10 17 cm −3 , and an oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 in at least a partial region of the GaP layer.

13. The light emitting diode according to claim 12 further comprising:

an intermediate layer provided between the GaP layer and the lower cladding layer, the intermediate layer comprising (Al x7 Ga 1−x7 ) y7 In 1−y7 P (0≦x7≦1, 0≦y7≦1) doped with a first conductivity type dopant having a concentration higher than that of a first conductivity type dopant in the lower cladding layer;

wherein a hydrogen concentration is not more than 1×10 18 cm −3 , a carbon concentration is not more than 1×10 18 cm −3 , and an oxygen concentration is not more than 5×10 16 cm −3 in the GaP layer.

14. The light emitting diode according to claim 13 , wherein:

the concentration of the first conductivity type dopant of the intermediate layer is not less than 5×10 17 cm −3 , and the intermediate layer further includes a second conductivity type dopant having a concentration lower than that of the first conductivity type dopant.

15. The light emitting diode according to claim 14 , wherein:

the conductive substrate comprises a material selected from a group consisting of Si, GaAs and Cu.

16. A light emitting diode comprising:

a conductive substrate;

a light emitting part comprising:

a first conductivity type AlGaInP based lower cladding layer;

a light emitting layer comprising an intrinsic semiconductor layer having an AlGaInP based multiquantum well structure; and

a second conductivity type AlGaInP based upper cladding layer;

wherein a hydrogen concentration is not more than 2×10 17 cm −3 , a carbon concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 , and an oxygen concentration is not more than 2×10 16 cm −3 in each of the lower cladding layer, the light emitting layer, and the upper cladding layer.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 2, 2016
From: SCIOCS COMPANY LIMITED
To: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
Reel/Frame 037869/0437 →
CORPORATE SEPARATION Recorded Jul 29, 2015
From: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
To: SCIOCS COMPANY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 036206/0031 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 29, 2014
From: HITACHI CABLE, LTD.
To: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 032134/0723 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 4, 2007
From: TAKAHASHI, KEN; KONNO, TAICHIROO; ARAI, MASAHIRO
To: HITACHI CABLE, LTD.
Reel/Frame 019778/0056 →