Semiconductor light emitting element and method for manufacturing semiconductor light emitting element
A semiconductor light emitting element includes: an n-type clad layer formed of an n-type aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) based semiconductor material; an intermediate layer provided on the n-type clad layer and having a higher oxygen (O) concentration than the n-type clad layer; an active layer provided on the intermediate layer and formed of an AlGaN-based semiconductor material; and a p-type semiconductor layer provided on the active layer. The intermediate layer may contain at least oxygen (O) and aluminum (Al).
1. A semiconductor light emitting element, comprising:
an n-type clad layer formed of an n-type aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN);
an intermediate layer provided on the n-type clad layer and formed of aluminum gallium oxynitride (AlGaON) or aluminum oxynitride (AlON) having a higher oxygen (O) concentration than the n-type clad layer;
an active layer provided on the intermediate layer and formed of an AlGaN-based semiconductor material; and
a p-type semiconductor layer provided on the active layer.
2. The semiconductor light emitting element of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer is provided in a first region on the n-type clad layer and
the semiconductor light emitting element further comprising a n-side electrode provided in a second region on the n-type clad layer, the second region being different from the first region.
3. The semiconductor light emitting element of claim 1 , wherein the oxygen concentration in the intermediate layer is 2×10 17 /cm 3 or greater.
4. The semiconductor light emitting element of claim 3 , wherein the oxygen concentration in the intermediate layer is 1×10 19 /cm 3 or less.
5. The semiconductor light emitting element of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the intermediate layer is 10 nm or less.
6. The semiconductor light emitting element of claim 1 , wherein the active layer has a multiple quantum well structure in which barrier layers formed of an AlGaN-based semiconductor material and well layers formed of an AlGaN-based semiconductor material are alternately stacked.
7. The semiconductor light emitting element of claim 1 , further comprising a base layer formed of aluminum nitride (AlN) based semiconductor material, wherein the n-type clad layer is provided on the base layer.
8. The semiconductor light emitting element of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer is an oxide layer formed by oxidizing a surface of the n-type clad layer.
9. The semiconductor light emitting element of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer does not include indium (In).
10. The semiconductor light emitting element of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the intermediate layer is 5 nm or less.