Nitride semiconductor device including a doped nitride semiconductor between upper and lower nitride semiconductor layers

1. A nitride semiconductor device comprising:

an intermediate layer formed on a major surface of a silicon substrate and including a nitride semiconductor;

an upper strain relaxation layer provided on the intermediate layer and including a nitride semiconductor; and

a functional layer provided on the upper strain relaxation layer and including a nitride semiconductor,

the intermediate layer including:

a first lower layer formed on the major surface and including a nitride semiconductor;

a first doped layer provided on the first lower layer and including a nitride semiconductor, the first doped layer having a lattice constant larger than or equal to lattice constant of the first lower layer and containing an impurity at a concentration of 1×10 18 cm −3 or more and less than 1×10 21 cm −3 ; and

a first upper layer provided on the first doped layer and including a nitride semiconductor, the first upper layer having a lattice constant larger than or equal to the lattice constant of the first doped layer and larger than the lattice constant of the first lower layer.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the functional layer includes:

a first semiconductor layer provided on the upper strain relaxation layer, including a nitride semiconductor, and having a first conductivity type;

a second semiconductor layer provided on the first semiconductor layer, including a nitride semiconductor, and having a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type; and

a light emitting section provided between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer and including a plurality of barrier layers and a well layer provided between the plurality of barrier layers.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the functional layer includes:

a first semiconductor layer provided on the upper strain relaxation layer; and

a second semiconductor layer provided on the first semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer having a band gap energy larger than a band gap energy of the first semiconductor layer.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein

a composition ratio of the first doped layer is different from a composition ratio of the first lower layer, and also different from a composition ratio of the first upper layer, and

the lattice constant of the first doped layer is larger than the lattice constant of the first lower layer, and smaller than the lattice constant of the first upper layer.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the impurity includes at least one of silicon (Si), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), oxygen (O), and carbon (C).

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer further includes:

a second lower layer provided on the first upper layer and including a nitride semiconductor, the second lower layer having a lattice constant smaller than the lattice constant of the first upper layer;

a second doped layer provided on the second lower layer and including a nitride semiconductor, the second doped layer having a lattice constant larger than or equal to the lattice constant of the second lower layer and containing an impurity at a concentration of 1×10 18 cm −3 or more and less than 1×10 21 cm −3 ; and

a second upper layer provided on the second doped layer and including a nitride semiconductor, the second upper layer having a lattice constant larger than or equal to the lattice constant of the second doped layer and larger than the lattice constant of the second lower layer.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein

a first density of dislocations extending in a direction from the first lower layer toward the first upper layer in the functional layer is lower than a second density of dislocations extending in the direction in the first lower layer.