Light emitting element and method of manufacturing light emitting element

A method of manufacturing a light emitting element, the method comprising:

• forming a semiconductor stack that comprises:
• a substrate,
• a first conductivity type semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate,
• an active layer disposed on the first conductivity type semiconductor layer, and
• a second conductivity type semiconductor layer disposed on the active layer, wherein:
• the first conductivity type semiconductor layer is a nitride semiconductor layer containing Al and Ga, the first conductive type semiconductor layer comprises a first layer disposed on the substrate and a second layer disposed on the first layer, and an Al percentage composition of the first layer is lower than an Al percentage composition of the second layer;
• removing a portion of the second conductivity type semiconductor layer and a portion of the active layer, thereby exposing a portion of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer from the second conductivity type semiconductor layer and the active layer to form a first region and a second region in the first conductivity type semiconductor layer, wherein:
• the first region is a region where the second conductivity type semiconductor layer and the active layer remain unremoved, and
• the second region includes the portion of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer that is exposed from the second conductivity type semiconductor layer and the active layer;
• subsequent to forming the first region and the second region, exposing a surface of the first layer of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer by removing the substrate;
• and
• subsequent to exposing the surface of the first layer, removing at least a portion of the first layer in the first region, such that (i) a thickness of the first layer in the first region is smaller than a thickness of the first layer in the second region, or (ii) the second layer is exposed from the first layer in the first region.