Light-emitting diode and method of manufacturing the same

A method of manufacturing a light-emitting diode that includes a reflecting layer made of metal and a compound semiconductor layer sequentially including an active layer and a contact layer, which are sequentially provided on a supporting substrate, in this order, and that emits light from a light emission hole to the outside, the method comprising:

• a step of forming the compound semiconductor layer that sequentially includes the active layer and the contact layer on a growth substrate;
• a step of forming a transparent conductive film on the compound semiconductor layer at a position that corresponds to an electrical conduction window to be formed and in a range surrounded by the electrical conduction window in plan view;
• a step of forming the reflecting layer made of metal on the compound semiconductor layer so as to cover the transparent conductive film;
• a step of bonding the supporting substrate to the reflecting layer;
• a step of removing the growth substrate;
• a step of performing wet etching for the compound semiconductor layer to form a mesa structure portion which is formed such that a cross-sectional area thereof in a horizontal direction is continuously reduced toward a top surface and a flat portion which is arranged around the mesa structure portion;
• a step of forming a protective film that covers, at least, a part of the flat portion, the inclined side surface of the mesa structure portion, and a peripheral region of the top surface of the mesa structure portion, and that includes the electrical conduction window which is provided inside the peripheral region in plan view and is arranged around the light emission hole in plan view and from which a portion of a surface of the compound semiconductor layer is exposed;
• and
• a step of forming an electrode film which is a continuous film that comes into direct contact with the surface of the compound semiconductor layer exposed from the electrical conduction window, that covers at least a portion of the protective film formed on the flat portion, and that has the light emission hole on the top surface of the mesa structure portion,
• a step of forming an ohmic metal portion that consists of AuBe or AuZn, that is provided in a peripheral portion of the transparent conductive film to be formed, and that does not overlap the light emission hole in plan view on the compound semiconductor layer, the step being performed between the step of forming the compound semiconductor layer and the step of forming the transparent conductive film.