Nitride semiconductor light-emitting element and method for fabricating the same
AssigneePanasonic Corporation
InventorsNaomi Anzue, Toshiya Yokogawa
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Abstract
This nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting element includes: a nitride-based semiconductor multilayer structure including a p-type semiconductor region, the nitride-based semiconductor multilayer structure having a growing plane which is an m-plane; and an electrode which is arranged on an AldGaeN layer. The AldGaeN layer is formed of a GaN-based semiconductor. The electrode includes Ag as the principal component and also includes Ge and at least one of Mg and Zn.
Claims19
A method for fabricating a nitride semiconductor light-emitting element, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a substrate;
- (b) forming a nitride-based semiconductor multilayer structure including an n-type semiconductor region, an active layer, and a p-type semiconductor region on the substrate, the nitride-based semiconductor multilayer structure having a growing plane which is an m-plane;
- (c) forming a p-side electrode on the growing plane of the p-type semiconductor region;
- and
- (d) heating the nitride-based semiconductor multilayer structure after the step (c) has been performed to diffuse Ge in the p-side electrode so that the concentration of Ge becomes lower at an interface between the p-side electrode and the p-type semiconductor region than at the surface of the p-side electrode opposite from the p-type semiconductor region.
A nitride semiconductor light-emitting element comprising:
- an n-side electrode;
- a nitride-based semiconductor multilayer structure including an n-type semiconductor region, an active layer and a p-type semiconductor region, the nitride-based semiconductor multilayer structure having a growing plane which is an m-plane;
- and
- a p-side electrode which is arranged on the p-type semiconductor region,
- wherein the p-type semiconductor region is formed of a GaN-based semiconductor,
- the p-side electrode is formed of an alloy including Ag as the principal component and also including Ge and at least one of Mg and Zn,
- Ge has been diffused in the alloy, and
- the concentration of Ge is lower at an interface between the p-side electrode and the p-type semiconductor region than at the surface of the p-side electrode opposite from the p-type semiconductor region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.