Double heterojunction light emitting diode with gallium nitride active layer
AssigneeCree Research, Inc.
InventorsJohn A. Edmond, Hua-Shuang Kong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A double heterostructure for a light emitting diode comprises a layer of aluminum gallium nitride having a first conductivity type; a layer of aluminum gallium nitride having the opposite conductivity type; and an active layer of gallium nitride between the aluminum gallium nitride layers, in which the gallium nitride layer is co-doped with both a Group II acceptor and a Group IV donor, with one of the dopants being present in an amount sufficient to give the gallium nitride layer a net conductivity type, so that the active layer forms a p-n junction with the adjacent layer of aluminum gallium nitride having the opposite conductivity type.
Claims42
A double heterostructure with p-n junction for a light emitting diode, said heterostructure comprising:
- a layer of aluminum gallium nitride having a first conductivity type;
- a layer of aluminum gallium nitride having the opposite conductivity type;
- an active layer consisting of gallium nitride between said aluminum gallium nitride layers, said gallium nitride layer being codoped with both a Group II acceptor and a Group IV donor, with one of said dopants being present in an amount greater than the other and sufficient to give said gallium nitride active layer a net conductivity type;
- said co-doped gallium nitride active layer forming a p-n junction with the adjacent layer of aluminum gallium nitride having the opposite conductivity type from said codoped gallium nitride active layer;
- and
- said double heterostructure producing a radiant flux of at least 100 microwatts at a forward current of 20 milliamps.
A double heterostructure with p-n junction for a light emitting diode, said heterostructure comprising:
- a p-type layer of aluminum gallium nitride;
- an n-type layer of aluminum gallium nitride;
- an n-type layer consisting of gallium nitride between said aluminum gallium nitride layers, said gallium nitride layer being codoped with both zinc and silicon and forming a p-n junction with said p-type layer of aluminum gallium nitride and
- said double heterostructure producing a radiant flux of at least 100 microwatts at a forward current of 20 milliamps.
A double heterostructure light emitting diode with p-n junction that emits in the blue portion of the visible spectrum and comprising:
- a substrate;
- a buffer layer on said substrate;
- and
- a double heterostructure on said buffer layer, said double heterostructure comprising:
- an n-type layer of aluminum gallium nitride;
- an active layer consisting of compensated n-type gallium nitride on said n-type aluminum gallium nitride layer;
- and
- a p-type layer of aluminum gallium nitride on said gallium nitride layer, said p-type layer of aluminum gallium nitride and said compensated n-type gallium nitride active layer forming a pn junction;
- said diode producing a radiant flux of at least 100 microwatts at a forward current of 20 milliamps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.