Group III-V semiconductor light emitting devices with reduced piezoelectric fields and increased efficiency
US6229151A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 29, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 8, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 29, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10H20/821
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical semiconductor device having a plurality of GaN-based semiconductor layers containing a strained quantum well layer in which the strained quantum well layer has a piezoelectric field that depends on the orientation of the strained quantum well layer when the quantum layer is grown. In the present invention, the strained quantum well layer is grown with an orientation at which the piezoelectric field is less than the maximum value of the piezoelectric field strength as a function of the orientation. In devices having GaN-based semiconductor layers with a wurtzite crystal structure, the growth orientation of the strained quantum well layer is tilted at least 1.degree. from the {0001} direction of the wurtzite crystal structure. In devices having GaN-based semiconductor layers with a zincblende crystal structure, the growth orientation of the strained quantum well layer is tilted at least 1.degree. from the {111} direction of the zincblende crystal structure. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the growth orientation is chosen to minimize the piezoelectric field in the strained quantum well layer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.