Semiconductor light emitting device and method for fabricating same
View Patent ↗A nitride semiconductor device includes a stem. A heat sink is provided on the stem. At least one nitride semiconductor light-emitting element is connected to the heat sink. A light-detecting element for detecting light from the semiconductor light-emitting element is provided on the stem. A cap for encapsulating therein the heat sink, the semiconductor light-emitting element, and the light-detecting element in a sealed manner is connected to the stem. The space in the cap has an encapsulated atmosphere. The encapsulated atmosphere contains a component for inhibiting diffusion of hydrogen atoms contained in the semiconductor light-emitting element. The present invention suppresses defect due to an increase in operation voltage to increase a ratio of good goods thereby improving the fabrication yield of the semiconductor light-emitting device.
1. A semiconductor light-emitting device comprising:
a stem;
a heat sink provided on the stem;
at least one semiconductor light-emitting element connected to the heat sink, the semiconductor light-emitting element including an insulation layer containing hydrogen atoms at a concentration of 1×10 17 /cm 3 or more;
a light-detecting element provided on the stem, for detecting light from the semiconductor light-emitting element; and
a cap connected to the stem, for encapsulating therein the heat sink, the semiconductor light-emitting element, and the light-detecting element in a sealed manner,
wherein an atmosphere in the cap contains a component for inhibiting diffusion of hydrogen atoms contained in the semiconductor light-emitting element.
2. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor light-emitting element comprises:
a ridge-stripe structure on a front surface thereof, the ridge-stripe structure forming a current-confined-path structure having one electrode electrically connected only to a top of a protruding portion of the ridge-stripe structure; and
the insulation layer sandwiching the protruding portion of the ridge-stripe structure.
3. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the component for inhibiting diffusion of hydrogen atoms includes oxygen.
4. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the insulation layer comprises a dielectric containing at least one of SiO 2 , TiO 2 , ZrO 2 , HfO 2 , CeO 2 , InO 3 , Nd 2 O 5 , Sb 2 O 3 , SnO 2 , Ta 2 O 5 , and ZnO.
5. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 3 , wherein the atmosphere contains oxygen at a concentration of at least 10 ppm.
6. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the concentration of moisture contained in the atmosphere is less than 1000 ppm.
7. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the atmosphere has a pressure of from 0.1 Pa to 200 kPa.
8. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor light-emitting element comprises group III nitride semiconductor laser element.
9. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor light-emitting element comprises group III-V compound semiconductor light-emitting element.
10. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor light-emitting element contains hydrogen atoms in its semiconductor layer structure.
11. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the atmosphere contains carbon dioxide.
12. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the atmosphere contains argon.
13. A method for fabricating a semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of:
preparing a fabricating apparatus comprising a working chamber having a mechanism and an externally-isolated sealed space for assembling the semiconductor light-emitting device and a front chamber linked to the working chamber for temporarily holding a member necessary for assembly of the semiconductor light-emitting device;
introducing the necessary member to the front chamber;
moving the necessary member from the front chamber to the working chamber without opening the working chamber to atmosphere;
substituting an atmosphere in the working chamber with a diffusion-inhibiting atmosphere containing a component for inhibiting diffusion of hydrogen atoms contained in the semiconductor light-emitting element; and
assembling the semiconductor light-emitting device in the working chamber under the diffusion-inhibiting atmosphere,
wherein the diffusion-inhibiting atmosphere can be filled in the cap by merely assembling the semiconductor light-emitting device in the working chamber.
14. A semiconductor light-emitting device comprising:
(1) a stem;
(2) a heat sink provided on the stem;
at least one semiconductor light-emitting element connected to the heat sink,
the semiconductor light-emitting element comprising:
a ridge-stripe structure on a front surface thereof, the ridge-stripe structure forming a current-confined-path structure having one electrode electrically connected only to a top of a protruding portion of the ridge-stripe structure; and
a semiconductor layer sandwiching the protruding portion of the ridge-stripe structure, the semiconductor layer having substantially the same composition as a composition of the protruding portion of the ridge-stripe structure while having an opposite polarity to a polarity of the protruding portion and containing hydrogen atoms at a concentration of 1×10 17 /cm 3 or more;
(3) a light-detecting element provided on the stem, for detecting light from the semiconductor light-emitting element; and
(4) a cap connected to the stem, for encapsulating therein the heat sink, the semiconductor light-emitting element, and the light-detecting element in a sealed manner,
wherein an atmosphere in the cap contains a component for inhibiting diffusion of hydrogen atoms contained in the semiconductor light-emitting element.