IP Library Granted Patent US 8,143,635
Granted Patent B2
US 8,143,635 · App. 12/293,680 · Granted Mar 27, 2012

Gallium nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device, method of manufacturing the same, and lamp including the same

Assignee: Showa Denko K.K.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,143,635
App. No.
12/293,680
Granted
Mar 27, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides a gallium nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device that prevents an increase in the specific resistance of a p-type semiconductor layer due to hydrogen annealing and reduces the specific resistance of a translucent conductive oxide film to lower a driving voltage Vf, a method of manufacturing the same, and a lamp including the same. The method of manufacturing the gallium nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device includes: forming a positive electrode 15 composed of a translucent conductive oxide film on a p-type GaN layer 14 of a gallium nitride compound semiconductor device; and a hydrogen annealing process of annealing the positive electrode 15 in a gas atmosphere including hydrogen (H 2 ).

Claims (34)

1. A method of manufacturing a gallium nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device in which a translucent conductive oxide film is formed on an entire surface of a p-type semiconductor layer of a gallium nitride compound semiconductor device, the method comprising:

after forming the translucent conductive oxide film on the entire surface of the p-type semiconductor layer, annealing the translucent conductive oxide film in a gas atmosphere including 0.1 to 5% by volume of hydrogen (H 2 ),

wherein the translucent conductive oxide film has specific resistance of 2.5×10 −4 Ω·cm or less.

2. The method of manufacturing a gallium nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

etching the translucent conductive oxide film to pattern the translucent conductive oxide film after the hydrogen annealing process.

3. The method of manufacturing a gallium nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the hydrogen annealing process is performed at a temperature in the range of 300° C. to 900° C.

4. The method of manufacturing a gallium nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

before the hydrogen annealing process, annealing at a temperature in the range of 200° C. to 300° C. in a gas atmosphere including oxygen (O 2 ).

5. The method of manufacturing a gallium nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 ,

wherein, after the hydrogen annealing process, forming a protective layer on the translucent conductive oxide film.

6. A gallium nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device manufactured by the method according to claim 1 .

7. The method of manufacturing a gallium nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

etching the translucent conductive oxide film to pattern the translucent conductive oxide film before the hydrogen annealing process.

8. The method of manufacturing a gallium nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the hydrogen annealing process is performed at a temperature in the range of 600° C. to 900° C.

9. A gallium nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device comprising:

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

a translucent conductive oxide film that is formed on an entire surface of the p-type semiconductor layer,

wherein an annealing process is performed on the translucent conductive oxide film in a gas atmosphere including 0.1 to 5% by volume of hydrogen (H 2 ), and

the translucent conductive oxide film has specific resistance of 2.5×10 −4 Ω·cm or less.

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

wherein the thickness of the translucent conductive oxide film is in the range of 35 nm to 10 μm.

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

wherein the thickness of the translucent conductive oxide film is in the range of 100 nm to 1 μm.

12. A lamp comprising the gallium nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 9 .

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

wherein the translucent conductive oxide film is formed of at least one of ITO (In 2 O 3 —SnO 2 ), IZO (In 2 O 3 —ZnO), IWO (In 2 O 3 —WO 2 ), GZO (ZnO—Ga 2 O 3 ), ZnO, and TiO 2 .

14. The gallium nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 13 ,

wherein the translucent conductive oxide film includes at least ITO.

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

wherein a protective layer is formed on the translucent conductive oxide film.

16. The gallium nitride compound semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 15 ,

wherein the thickness of the protective layer is in the range of 20 nm to 500 nm.

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 Sep 19, 2008
From: FUKUNAGA, NAOKI; OSAWA, HIROSHI
To: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
Reel/Frame 021558/0300 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2006-080882 · Mar 23, 2006 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100163886A1 · Jul 1, 2010