Gallium nitride based III-V group compund semiconductor device and method of producing the same

A gallium nitride-based III-V Group compound semiconductor light-emitting device comprising:

• a substrate having a substantially square surface shape, said substrate having first and second major surfaces;
• a semiconductor stacked layer structure arranged over said first major surface of the substrate, and comprising an n-type gallium nitride-based III-V Group compound semiconductor layer and a p-type gallium nitride-based III-V Group compound semiconductor layer provided over said n-type semiconductor layer, said p-type semiconductor layer having a cut-off portion partially exposing a surface of said n-type semiconductor layer;
• a first electrode structure provided on the exposed surface of said n-type semiconductor layer;
• a second electrode structure provided in electrical contact with said p-type semiconductor layer, and arranged on the same side of the substrate as said first electrode structure, said second electrode structure comprising a light-transmitting electrode layer and provided on a surface of said p-type semiconductor layer, and a bonding pad provided on said light-transmitting electrode layer;
• a continuous insulating protective film covering a surface of said light-transmitting electrode layer, having a thickness of from 0.001 μm to 1 μm, exposed between said first electrode structure and said bonding pad, as well as a portion of the exposed surface of said n-type semiconductor layer,
• wherein the insulating protective film has a light-transmissivity.

A gallium nitride-based III-V Group compound semiconductor light-emitting device comprising:

• a substrate having a substantially square surface shape, said substrate having first and second major surfaces;
• a semiconductor stacked layer structure arranged over said first major surface of the substrate, and comprising an n-type gallium nitride-based III-V Group compound semiconductor layer and a p-type gallium nitride-based III-V Group compound semiconductor layer provided over said n-type semiconductor layer, said p-type semiconductor layer having a cut-off portion partially exposing a surface of said n-type semiconductor layer;
• a first electrode structure provided on the exposed surface of said n-type semiconductor layer;
• a second electrode structure provide in electrical contact with said p-type semiconductor layer, and arranged on the same side of the substrate as said first electrode structure, said second electrode structure comprising a light-transmitting electrode layer and provided on a surface of said p-type semiconductor layer, and a bonding pad provided on said light-transmitting electrode layer;
• a continuous insulating protective film covering a surface of said light-transmitting electrode layer, having a thickness of from 0.001 μm to 1 μm, exposed between said first electrode structure and said bonding pad, as well as a portion of the exposed surface of said n-type semiconductor layer;
• wherein said insulating protective film has a thickness of from 0.001 μm to 10 μm, in includes a silicon oxide, a titanium oxide, an aluminum oxide, or a silicon nitride.