Nitride-based semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
AssigneePanasonic Corporation
InventorsMitsuaki OYA, Toshiya YOKOGAWA, Atsushi YAMADA, Akihiro ISOZAKI
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Abstract
A nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device 100 includes: a GaN substrate 10 with an m-plane surface 12; a semiconductor multilayer structure 20 provided on the m-plane surface 12 of the GaN substrate 10; and an electrode 30 provided on the semiconductor multilayer structure 20. The electrode 30 includes a Zn layer 32 and an Ag layer 34 provided on the Zn layer 32. The Zn layer 32 is in contact with a surface of a p-type semiconductor region of the semiconductor multilayer structure 20.
Claims30
A nitride-based semiconductor device, comprising:
- a nitride-based semiconductor multilayer structure including a p-type semiconductor region, a surface of the p-type semiconductor region being an m-plane;
- and
- an electrode that is formed on the surface of the p-type semiconductor region,
- wherein the p-type semiconductor region is made of an AlxInyGazN semiconductor (where x+y+z=1, x≧0, y≧0, and z≧0), and
- the electrode includes a Zn layer which is in contact with the surface of the p-type semiconductor region and an Ag layer which is provided on the Zn layer.
The nitride-based semiconductor device of claim 27, wherein the Ag layer is covered with a protector electrode which is made of a metal different from Ag.
The nitride-based semiconductor device of claim 27, wherein the Ag layer is covered with a protector layer which is made of a dielectric.
The nitride-based semiconductor device of claim 27, wherein the semiconductor multilayer structure includes an active layer which includes an AlaInbGacN layer (where a+b+c=1, a≧0, b≧0 and c≧0), the active layer being configured to emit light.
The nitride-based semiconductor device of claim 27, wherein the p-type GaN-based semiconductor region is a p-type contact layer.
The nitride-based semiconductor device of claim 27, wherein a thickness of the Zn layer is equal to or smaller than a thickness of the Ag layer.
The nitride-based semiconductor device of claim 27, further comprising a semiconductor substrate that supports the semiconductor multilayer structure.
The nitride-based semiconductor device of claim 27 wherein, in the Zn layer, a concentration of N is lower than a concentration of Ga.
The nitride-based semiconductor device of claim 27, wherein the p-type GaN-based semiconductor region is made of GaN.
The nitride-based semiconductor device of claim 27, wherein the Zn layer and the Ag layer are at least partially made of an alloy.
A light source, comprising:
- a nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device;
- and
- a wavelength converter including a phosphor that converts a wavelength of light emitted from the nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device,
- wherein the nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device includes
- a nitride-based semiconductor multilayer structure including a p-type semiconductor region, a surface of the p-type semiconductor region being an m-plane, and
- an electrode that is formed on the surface of the p-type semiconductor region,
- the p-type semiconductor region is made of an AlxInyGazN semiconductor (where x+y+z=1, x≧0, y≧0, and z≧0), and
- the electrode includes a Zn layer which is in contact with the surface of the p-type semiconductor region and an Ag layer which is provided on the Zn layer.
The light source of claim 28, wherein the p-type GaN-based semiconductor region is made of GaN.
The light source of claim 28, wherein the Zn layer and the Ag layer are at least partially made of an alloy.
A method for fabricating a nitride-based semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a substrate;
- (b) forming on the substrate a nitride-based semiconductor multilayer structure including a p-type semiconductor region, a surface of the p-type semiconductor region being an m-plane;
- and
- (c) forming an electrode on the surface of the p-type semiconductor region of the semiconductor multilayer structure,
- wherein step (c) includes
- forming a Zn layer on the surface of the p-type semiconductor region, and
- forming an Ag layer on the Zn layer.
The method of claim 29, wherein step (c) further includes performing a heat treatment on the Zn layer.
The method of claim 29, further comprising removing the substrate after step (b).
The method of claim 29, wherein the p-type GaN-based semiconductor region is made of GaN.
The method of claim 29 wherein, in the Zn layer, a concentration of N is lower than a concentration of Ga.
The nitride-based semiconductor device of claim 27, wherein the Zn layer includes a Zn island provided on the surface of the p-type GaN-based semiconductor region.
The nitride-based semiconductor device of claim 27, wherein
- the Zn layer is made of a Zn—Ag alloy.
A nitride-based semiconductor device, comprising:
- a nitride-based semiconductor multilayer structure including a p-type semiconductor region, a surface of the p-type semiconductor region being an m-plane;
- and
- an electrode that is arranged on the p-type semiconductor region,
- wherein the p-type semiconductor region is made of an AlxInyGazN semiconductor (where x+y+z=1, x≧0, y≧0, and z≧0),
- the electrode is composed only of an alloy layer which is in contact with the surface of the p-type semiconductor region, and
- the alloy layer is made of Zn and Ag.
The nitride-based semiconductor device of claim 30, wherein the alloy layer is formed by forming a Zn layer so as to be in contact with the surface of the p-type GaN-based semiconductor region and an Ag layer on the Zn layer, and thereafter performing a heat treatment.
The nitride-based semiconductor device of claim 30, wherein the alloy layer is formed by depositing a mixture or compound of Zn and Ag onto the surface of the p-type GaN-based semiconductor region by means of evaporation, and thereafter performing a heat treatment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.