Patent · US Expired

Gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting device and method for making the same

US5369289A · kind A · utility

198Cited by
11References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 30, 1992
Grant dateNov 29, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 30, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10H20/832
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A light-emitting device comprises an n-type layer made of an n-type gallium nitride-based compound of the formula Al.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x N, wherein 0.ltoreq.X<1, and an i-type layer formed on the n-type layer and made of a semi-insulating i-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor and doped with a p-type impurity for junction with the n-type layer. A first electrode is formed on the surface of the i-type layer and made of a transparent conductive film and a second electrode is formed to connect to the n-type layer through the i-type layer. The device is so arranged that light is emitted from the side of the i-type layer to the outside. When an electric current is supplied to the first electrode from a wire contacted thereto, the first electrode is held entirely at a uniform potential. Light is emitted from the entire interface beneath the first electrode and can thus be picked up from the first electrode which is optically transparent.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.