Semiconductor device

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to increase the light emission efficiency of a ZnO-based optical semiconductor device. An optical semiconductor device B has a structure which includes n-type Zn1-zMgzO (barrier layer) 11/Zn1-zMgxO (active layer) 15/p-type Zn1-yMgyO (barrier layer) 17, and light is emitted from the active layer 15. Electrodes 23, 21 are respectively formed on barrier layers 11, 17. By applying a voltage between the two electrodes 23, 21, light is emitted from ZnO (active layer) 15. Here, there are a relationship of x<y and a relationship of x<z. For instance, such values as x=0.1, y=0.15 and z=0.16 can be chosen. Otherwise, such values as x=0.15, y=0.25 and z=0.24 can be choose as well. In this case, by increasing the value x of the active layer, it is possible to shift its light emission wavelength to the shorter wavelength side. In addition, as shown in the above-described results, by increasing the value x, it is possible to enhance its light emission efficiency. For this reason, the optical semiconductor device is excellent as a light-emitting device.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.