GaN SEMICONDUCTOR LIGHT-EMITTING ELEMENT AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME

A GaN semiconductor light-emitting element comprising:

• a strip-type seed region composed of a GaN-based compound semiconductor disposed on a substrate;
• an underlying layer having a three-dimensional shape composed of a GaN-based compound semiconductor, disposed on at least the seed region;
• a first GaN-based compound semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, an active layer composed of a GaN-based compound semiconductor, and a second GaN-based compound semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type disposed in that order on the underlying layer;
• a first electrode electrically connected to the first GaN-based compound semiconductor layer;
• and
• a second electrode disposed on the second GaN-based compound semiconductor layer,
• wherein a top face of the seed region is the A plane, the strip-like seed region extends in the <1-100> direction of the seed region, and one inclined face of the underlying layer is the S plane.

A GaN semiconductor light-emitting element comprising:

• a strip-like seed region composed of a GaN-based compound semiconductor disposed on a substrate;
• an underlying layer having a three-dimensional shape composed of a GaN-based compound semiconductor, disposed on at least the seed region;
• a first GaN-based compound semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, an active layer composed of a GaN-based compound semiconductor, and a second GaN-based compound semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type disposed in that order on the underlying layer;
• a first electrode electrically connected to the first GaN-based compound semiconductor layer;
• and
• a second electrode disposed on the second GaN-based compound semiconductor layer,
• wherein a top face of the seed region is the A plane, the strip-like seed region extends in the <0001> direction of the seed region, and at least one face of the underlying layer is the M plane.

A method for manufacturing a GaN semiconductor light-emitting element comprising the steps of:

• forming an island-type seed region composed of a GaN-based compound semiconductor on a substrate;
• forming an underlying layer on at least the seed region, the underlying layer being composed of a GaN-based compound semiconductor and having a three-dimensional shape;
• forming a first GaN-based compound semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, an active layer composed of a GaN-based compound semiconductor, and a second GaN-based compound semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type in that order on the underlying layer;
• and
• forming a first electrode electrically connected to the first GaN-based compound semiconductor layer and forming a second electrode on the second GaN-based compound semiconductor layer,
• wherein a top face of the seed region is the A plane, and at least one side face of the underlying layer is the S plane.

A method for manufacturing a GaN semiconductor light-emitting element comprising the steps of:

• forming a strip-type seed region composed of a GaN-based compound semiconductor on a substrate;
• forming an underlying layer on at least the seed region, the underlying layer being composed of a GaN-based compound semiconductor and having a three-dimensional shape;
• forming a first GaN-based compound semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, an active layer composed of a GaN-based compound semiconductor, and a second GaN-based compound semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type in that order on the underlying layer;
• and
• forming a first electrode electrically connected to the first GaN-based compound semiconductor layer and forming a second electrode on the second GaN-based compound semiconductor layer,
• wherein a top face of the seed region is the A plane, the strip-like seed region extends in the <1-100> direction of the seed region, and one inclined face of the underlying layer is the S plane.

A method for manufacturing a GaN semiconductor light-emitting element comprising the steps of:

• forming a strip-type seed region composed of a GaN-based compound semiconductor on a substrate;
• forming an underlying layer on at least the seed region, the underlying layer being composed of a GaN-based compound semiconductor and having a three-dimensional shape;
• forming a first GaN-based compound semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, an active layer composed of a GaN-based compound semiconductor, and a second GaN-based compound semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type in that order on the underlying layer;
• and
• forming a first electrode electrically connected to the first GaN-based compound semiconductor layer and forming a second electrode on the second GaN-based compound semiconductor layer,
• wherein a top face of the seed region is the A plane, the strip-like seed region extends in the <0001> direction of the seed region, and at least one face of the underlying layer is the M plane.