US 6,309,459 B1 · Compound semiconductor element and its manufacturing method

Abstract

A compound semiconductor light emitting element has a unique SCH structure having InGaN graded layers with a gradiunt in content of In interposed between an InGaN active layer and AlGaN cladding layers to ensure a good crystallographic property of the active layer, to maintain and hetero interfaces on and above the active layer in a good condition and to prevent fluctuation in thickness of the active layer, so that a compound semiconductor light emitting element with a high emission efficiency and reliability or a laser element with a high slope efficiency and reliability be obtained. The InGaN graded layers with gradually changed In compositions can be made by increasing or decreasing the temperature while maintaining the supply amount or the ratio of the In source material relative to the supply amount of the other group III source materials in a constant value.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method for manufacturing a compound semiconductor element comprising a step of growing a compound semiconductor layer having a gradually changing content of indium along the growth direction by changing the growth temperature while maintaining the supplying ratio of a source material of indium relative to the source materials of the other group III elements in a constant value.

A method for manufacturing a compound semiconductor element comprising:

a first step of growing an AlyGa1−yN cladding layer (0≦y≦1) of a first conduction type on a substrate at a growth temperature T1;
a second step of growing on said first AlyGa1−yN cladding layer of the first conduction type an InuGa1−uN graded layer (0≦u≦1) having a gradually increased content of indium (In) along the growth direction by decreasing the growth temperature from T1 to T2 while supplying a source material of gallium (Ga) and a source material of indium (In) in a substantially constant ratio therebetween;
a third step of growing an InxGa1−xN active layer (0≦x≦1) at a constant growth temperature T3;
a fourth step of growing an InwGa1−wN graded layer (0≦w≦1) having a gradually decreased content of indium (In) along the growth direction by increasing the growth temperature from T4 to T5 while supplying a source material of gallium (Ga) and a source material of indium (In) in a substantially constant raltio therebetween;
and
a fifth step of growing an AlzGa1−zN cladding layer of a second conduction type different from said first conduction type (0≦z≦1) at a constant growth temperature T5, wherein x≦u, x≦w, T3≦T2<T1, and T3≦T4<T5.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

09/624,419Filed 24 Jul 2000 · division

Priority

JP 9-20277229 Jul 1997

Granted

30 Oct 2001

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification19 codes

C30B 25/02
Single-crystal growth by chemical reaction of reactive gases, e.g. chemical vapour-deposition growth: epitaxial-layer growth
C30B 29/40
Inorganic compounds or compositions: aIIIBV compounds wherein A is B, Al, Ga, In or Tl and B is N, P, As, Sb or Bi
C30B 29/403
AIIIBV compounds wherein A is B, Al, Ga, In or Tl and B is N, P, As, Sb or Bi: aIII-nitrides
H10H 20/01335
With a substrate not being Group III-V materials: the light-emitting regions comprising nitride materials

Compound semiconductor element and its manufacturing method

Life of this patent

Compound semiconductor element and its manufacturing method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14