IP Library Granted Patent US 7,893,449
Granted Patent B2
US 7,893,449 · App. 12/097,054 · Granted Feb 22, 2011

Gallium nitride based compound semiconductor light-emitting device having high emission efficiency and method of manufacturing the same

Assignee: Showa Denko K.K.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,893,449
App. No.
12/097,054
Granted
Feb 22, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides a gallium nitride based compound semiconductor light-emitting device having high light emission efficiency and a low driving voltage Vf. The gallium nitride based compound semiconductor light-emitting device includes a p-type semiconductor layer, and a transparent conductive oxide film that includes dopants and is formed on the p-type semiconductor layer. A dopant concentration at an interface between the p-type semiconductor layer and the transparent conductive oxide film is higher than the bulk dopant concentration of the transparent conductive oxide film. Therefore, the contact resistance between the p-type semiconductor layer and the transparent conductive oxide film is reduced.

Claims (24)

1. A gallium nitride based compound semiconductor light-emitting device including:

a gallium nitride based compound semiconductor device including a p-type semiconductor layer; and

a transparent conductive oxide film that includes dopants and is formed on the p-type semiconductor layer,

wherein a dopant concentration at an interface between the p-type semiconductor layer and the transparent conductive oxide film is higher than a bulk dopant concentration of the transparent conductive oxide film, and

wherein the dopant concentration of the transparent conductive oxide film is 15 at % or more in the region that is 2 nm or less away from the interface and the dopant concentration is 5 to 10 at % in the region that is 2 nm or more away from the interface.

2. The gallium nitride based compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein an uneven surface is formed on at least a portion of the p-type semiconductor layer.

3. The gallium nitride based compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the dopant concentration of the transparent conductive oxide film is the highest at the interface between the transparent conductive oxide film and the p-type semiconductor layer.

4. The gallium nitride based compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein a highly doped region having a dopant concentration that is higher than that of the transparent conductive oxide film is provided between the p-type semiconductor layer and the transparent conductive oxide film.

5. The gallium nitride based compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 4 ,

wherein the highly doped region is formed of any one of a dopant, a dopant oxide, and a transparent conductive material having a dopant concentration that is higher than that of the transparent conductive oxide film.

6. The gallium nitride based compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 4 ,

wherein the highly doped region is formed of any one of Sn, SnO 2 , and ITO(In 2 O 3 —SnO 2 ) having a Sn concentration that is higher than that of the transparent conductive oxide film.

7. The gallium nitride based compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the transparent conductive oxide film is formed of at least one of ITO(In 2 O 3 —SnO 2 ), AZO(ZnO—Al 2 O 3 ), IZO(In 2 O 3 —ZnO), and GZO(ZnO—GeO 2 ).

8. The gallium nitride based compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the transparent conductive oxide film contains at least ITO(In 2 O 3 —SnO 2 ).

9. The gallium nitride based compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the thickness of the transparent conductive oxide film is in the range of 35 nm to 10000 nm (10 μm).

10. The gallium nitride based compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the thickness of the transparent conductive oxide film is in the range of 100 nm to 1000 nm (1 μm).

11. A lamp including the gallium nitride based compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 .

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2012
From: SHOWA DENKO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 029489/0249 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2008
From: FUKUNAGA, NAOKI; SHINOHARA, HIRONAO; OSAWA, HIROSHI
To: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
Reel/Frame 021083/0288 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2005-360288 · Dec 14, 2005 · national
JP 2005-360289 · Dec 14, 2005 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090278158A1 · Nov 12, 2009