US20060043388A1 - Reflective electrode and compound semiconductor light emitting device including the same - Google Patents
Reflective electrode and compound semiconductor light emitting device including the same Download PDFInfo
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- US20060043388A1 US20060043388A1 US11/080,509 US8050905A US2006043388A1 US 20060043388 A1 US20060043388 A1 US 20060043388A1 US 8050905 A US8050905 A US 8050905A US 2006043388 A1 US2006043388 A1 US 2006043388A1
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- 239000004065 semiconductor Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 80
- 150000001875 compounds Chemical class 0.000 title claims abstract description 74
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 22
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 19
- 239000000956 alloy Substances 0.000 claims description 45
- 229910045601 alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 42
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- PJXISJQVUVHSOJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N indium(iii) oxide Chemical compound [O-2].[O-2].[O-2].[In+3].[In+3] PJXISJQVUVHSOJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 12
- 229910003437 indium oxide Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 11
- 229910052709 silver Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 11
- 229910052749 magnesium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 8
- 229910052726 zirconium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 8
- 238000005054 agglomeration Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 230000002776 aggregation Effects 0.000 claims description 7
- 229910052759 nickel Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 5
- 229910052787 antimony Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052804 chromium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052746 lanthanum Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052748 manganese Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052750 molybdenum Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052758 niobium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052711 selenium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052710 silicon Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052715 tantalum Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052714 tellurium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052721 tungsten Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052725 zinc Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910052707 ruthenium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 3
- 229910002601 GaN Inorganic materials 0.000 description 12
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- 229910052757 nitrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 4
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- 238000005229 chemical vapour deposition Methods 0.000 description 3
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- XOLBLPGZBRYERU-UHFFFAOYSA-N tin dioxide Chemical compound O=[Sn]=O XOLBLPGZBRYERU-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 229910002704 AlGaN Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- CPLXHLVBOLITMK-UHFFFAOYSA-N Magnesium oxide Chemical compound [Mg]=O CPLXHLVBOLITMK-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000000969 carrier Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000012153 distilled water Substances 0.000 description 2
- QZQVBEXLDFYHSR-UHFFFAOYSA-N gallium(III) oxide Inorganic materials O=[Ga]O[Ga]=O QZQVBEXLDFYHSR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
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- 238000004151 rapid thermal annealing Methods 0.000 description 2
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Chemical compound O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229910005264 GaInO3 Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
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- 229910052733 gallium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000000395 magnesium oxide Substances 0.000 description 1
- PNHVEGMHOXTHMW-UHFFFAOYSA-N magnesium;zinc;oxygen(2-) Chemical compound [O-2].[O-2].[Mg+2].[Zn+2] PNHVEGMHOXTHMW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- 150000004767 nitrides Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- KYKLWYKWCAYAJY-UHFFFAOYSA-N oxotin;zinc Chemical compound [Zn].[Sn]=O KYKLWYKWCAYAJY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229920002120 photoresistant polymer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229910052703 rhodium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910052594 sapphire Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010980 sapphire Substances 0.000 description 1
- HBMJWWWQQXIZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N silicon carbide Chemical compound [Si+]#[C-] HBMJWWWQQXIZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910001887 tin oxide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 230000005641 tunneling Effects 0.000 description 1
- YVTHLONGBIQYBO-UHFFFAOYSA-N zinc indium(3+) oxygen(2-) Chemical compound [O--].[Zn++].[In+3] YVTHLONGBIQYBO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10H—INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS
- H10H20/00—Individual inorganic light-emitting semiconductor devices having potential barriers, e.g. light-emitting diodes [LED]
- H10H20/80—Constructional details
- H10H20/83—Electrodes
- H10H20/832—Electrodes characterised by their material
- H10H20/835—Reflective materials
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
- H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
- H01S5/04—Processes or apparatus for excitation, e.g. pumping, e.g. by electron beams
- H01S5/042—Electrical excitation ; Circuits therefor
- H01S5/0425—Electrodes, e.g. characterised by the structure
- H01S5/04252—Electrodes, e.g. characterised by the structure characterised by the material
- H01S5/04253—Electrodes, e.g. characterised by the structure characterised by the material having specific optical properties, e.g. transparent electrodes
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
- H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
- H01S5/10—Construction or shape of the optical resonator, e.g. extended or external cavity, coupled cavities, bent-guide, varying width, thickness or composition of the active region
- H01S5/18—Surface-emitting [SE] lasers, e.g. having both horizontal and vertical cavities
- H01S5/183—Surface-emitting [SE] lasers, e.g. having both horizontal and vertical cavities having only vertical cavities, e.g. vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers [VCSEL]
- H01S5/18361—Structure of the reflectors, e.g. hybrid mirrors
- H01S5/18375—Structure of the reflectors, e.g. hybrid mirrors based on metal reflectors
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
- H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
- H01S5/04—Processes or apparatus for excitation, e.g. pumping, e.g. by electron beams
- H01S5/042—Electrical excitation ; Circuits therefor
- H01S5/0425—Electrodes, e.g. characterised by the structure
- H01S5/04256—Electrodes, e.g. characterised by the structure characterised by the configuration
- H01S5/04257—Electrodes, e.g. characterised by the structure characterised by the configuration having positive and negative electrodes on the same side of the substrate
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
- H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
- H01S5/10—Construction or shape of the optical resonator, e.g. extended or external cavity, coupled cavities, bent-guide, varying width, thickness or composition of the active region
- H01S5/18—Surface-emitting [SE] lasers, e.g. having both horizontal and vertical cavities
- H01S5/183—Surface-emitting [SE] lasers, e.g. having both horizontal and vertical cavities having only vertical cavities, e.g. vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers [VCSEL]
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01S—DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL
- H01S5/00—Semiconductor lasers
- H01S5/10—Construction or shape of the optical resonator, e.g. extended or external cavity, coupled cavities, bent-guide, varying width, thickness or composition of the active region
- H01S5/18—Surface-emitting [SE] lasers, e.g. having both horizontal and vertical cavities
- H01S5/183—Surface-emitting [SE] lasers, e.g. having both horizontal and vertical cavities having only vertical cavities, e.g. vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers [VCSEL]
- H01S5/18305—Surface-emitting [SE] lasers, e.g. having both horizontal and vertical cavities having only vertical cavities, e.g. vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers [VCSEL] with emission through the substrate, i.e. bottom emission
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10H—INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS
- H10H20/00—Individual inorganic light-emitting semiconductor devices having potential barriers, e.g. light-emitting diodes [LED]
- H10H20/80—Constructional details
- H10H20/81—Bodies
- H10H20/822—Materials of the light-emitting regions
- H10H20/824—Materials of the light-emitting regions comprising only Group III-V materials, e.g. GaP
- H10H20/825—Materials of the light-emitting regions comprising only Group III-V materials, e.g. GaP containing nitrogen, e.g. GaN
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a reflective electrode and a compound semiconductor light emitting device, and more particularly, to a reflective electrode with low contact resistance, high reflectance, and improved electrical conductivity, and a compound semiconductor light emitting device including the same.
- Compound semiconductor light emitting devices for example, semiconductor laser diodes such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs), convert electric signals into optical signals using the characteristics of compound semiconductors.
- Laser beams of the compound semiconductor light emitting devices have practically been applied in the fields of optical communications, multiple communications, and space communications.
- Semiconductor lasers are widely used as light sources for data transmission or data recording and reading in the field of optical communications and such apparatuses as compact disk players (CDPs) or digital versatile disk players (DVDPs).
- a compound semiconductor light emitting device can be categorized into a top-emitting light emitting diode (TLED) and a flip-chip light emitting diode (FCLED) according to the emission direction of light.
- TLED top-emitting light emitting diode
- FCLED flip-chip light emitting diode
- the TLED emits light through a p-type electrode, which forms an ohmic contact with a p-type compound semiconductor layer.
- the p-type electrode includes a Ni layer and an Au layer, which are sequentially stacked on a p-type compound semiconductor layer.
- the p-type electrode formed of the Ni layer and the Au layer is translucent, the TLED including the p-type electrode has low optical efficiency and low brightness.
- the FCLED In the case of the FCLED, light emitted from an active layer is reflected by a reflective electrode formed on a p-type compound semiconductor layer, and the reflected light is emitted through a substrate.
- the reflective electrode is formed of a material having good optical reflectance, such as Ag, Al, and Rh.
- the FCLED including this reflective electrode can have high optical efficiency and high brightness.
- a light emitting device including the reflective electrode has a shortened life span and unreliable characteristics.
- WO 01/47038 A1 discloses a semiconductor light emitting device including a reflective electrode, which is provided with an ohmic contact layer disposed between the reflective electrode and a p-type compound semiconductor layer.
- the ohmic contact layer is formed of a material having low optical transmissivity, such as Ti or Ni/Au, thus degrading optical efficiency and brightness.
- Embodiments of the present invention provides a reflective electrode, which reduces contact resistance and has high reflectance and improved electrical conductivity, and a compound semiconductor light emitting device including the same.
- the present invention can be embodied as a reflective electrode of a compound semiconductor light emitting device, which is formed on a p-type compound semiconductor layer.
- the electrode includes, for example, a first, second and third electrode layer.
- the first electrode layer forms an ohmic contact with the p-type compound semiconductor layer.
- the second electrode layer is disposed on the first electrode layer and is formed of transparent conductive oxide.
- the third electrode layer disposed on the second electrode layer and formed of an optical reflective material, in this embodiment.
- the first electrode layer may be formed of indium oxide to which at least an additive element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Cu, Zr, and Sb is added, and an addition ratio of the additive element to the indium oxide is in the range of 0.001 to 49 atomic percent, for example.
- the thickness of the first electrode layer can range from 0.1 to 500 nm.
- the first electrode layer can be formed of Ag and an Ag-based alloy, and the Ag-based alloy can be an alloy of Ag and at least one selected from the group consisting of Mg, Zn, Sc, Hf, Zr, Te, Se, Ta, W, Nb, Cu, Si, Ni, Co, Mo, Cr, Mn, Hg, Pr, and La.
- the thickness of the first electrode layer can range from 0.1 to 500 nm, for example.
- the transparent conductive oxide can be formed of a material selected from the group consisting of ITO, ZITO, ZIO, GIO, ZTO, FTO, AZO, GZO, In 4 Sn 3 O 12 , and Zn 1-x Mg x O (0 ⁇ 1), and the thickness of the second electrode layer can range from 0.1 to 500 nm.
- the optical reflective material is one selected from the group consisting of Ag, an Ag-based alloy, Al, an Al-based alloy, and Rh, and the thickness of the third electrode layer can range from 10 to 5000 nm, for example.
- An optional fourth electrode layer can be formed on the third electrode layer using a predetermined material to prevent agglomeration caused by an annealing process from occurring on the surface of the third electrode layer.
- the fourth electrode layer material include one selected from the group consisting of Cu, Cu/Ru, Cu/Ir, a Cu-based alloy, Cu-based alloy/Ru, and Cu-based alloy/Ir.
- the fourth electrode layer ranges from 1 to 500 nm, for example.
- the present invention can also be embodied in a compound semiconductor light emitting device, for example.
- the compound semiconductor light emitting device includes an n-type electrode, a p-type electrode, and an n-type compound semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a p-type compound semiconductor layer, which are interposed between the n-type electrode and the p-type electrode,
- the p-type electrode is structured in accordance with the above.
- FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a reflective electrode according to an embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a reflective electrode according to another embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a compound semiconductor light emitting device including the reflective electrode shown in FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 4A is a graph showing a current-voltage (I-V) characteristic of the reflective electrode (Ag/ITO/Ag) shown in FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 4B is a graph showing an I-V characteristic of an InGaN blue light emitting diode (LED) including the reflective electrode (Ag/ITO/Ag) shown in FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a reflective electrode 22 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
- the reflective electrode 22 is formed on a p-type compound semiconductor layer 20 .
- the reflective electrode 22 includes a first electrode layer 22 a , a second electrode layer 22 b , and a third electrode layer 22 c , which are sequentially stacked on the p-type compound semiconductor layer 20 .
- the first electrode layer 22 a is formed of a material, which can form an ohmic contact with the p-type compound semiconductor layer 20 , to a thickness of about 0.1 to 500 nm.
- the first electrode layer 22 a is formed of indium oxide (e.g., In 2 O 3 ) to which at least an additive element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Cu, Zr, and Sb is added.
- indium oxide e.g., In 2 O 3
- additive element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Cu, Zr, and Sb is added.
- the additive element controls the band gap, electron affinity, and work function of the indium oxide, thereby improving the ohmic contact characteristic of the first electrode layer 22 a .
- the additive element increases the effective carrier concentration of the p-type compound semiconductor layer 20 and readily reacts with elements constituting the p-type compound semiconductor layer 20 except nitrogen.
- the additive element may react to Ga prior to N.
- Ga of the p-type compound semiconductor layer 20 reacts to the additive element, thus generating Ga vacancies in the surface of the p-type compound semiconductor layer 20 .
- the Ga vacancies function as a p-type dopant, an effective concentration of p-type carriers in the surface of p-type compound semiconductor layer 20 increases.
- the indium oxide to which the additive element is added reacts to a Ga 2 O 3 layer, which is a native oxide layer that remains on the p-type compound semiconductor layer 20 , thus generating a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) between the p-type compound semiconductor layer 20 and the first electrode layer 22 a .
- the Ga 2 O 3 layer serves as a barrier to the flow of carriers at an interface between the p-type compound semiconductor layer 20 and the first electrode layer 22 a .
- a tunneling conduction phenomenon may occur at the interface between the first electrode layer 22 a and the p-type compound semiconductor layer 20 , thus improving the ohmic contact characteristic of the first electrode layer 22 a.
- An addition ratio of the additive element to indium oxide is in the range of 0.001 to 49 atomic percent.
- the first electrode layer 22 a may be formed of Ag or an Ag-based alloy.
- the Ag-based alloy is an alloy of Ag and at least one selected from the group consisting of Mg, Zn, Sc, Hf, Zr, Te, Se, Ta, W, Nb, Cu, Si, Ni, Co, Mo, Cr, Mn, Hg, Pr, and La.
- the Ag or Ag-based alloy may form an ohmic contact with the p-type compound semiconductor layer 20 , as described above. That is, the Ag and alloy elements, which may form the first electrode layer 22 a , increase the effective carrier concentration of the p-type compound semiconductor layer 20 and readily react with elements constituting the p-type compound semiconductor layer 20 except nitrogen. A detailed description thereof will be omitted here.
- the second electrode layer 22 b is formed of TCO to a thickness of 0.1 to 500 nm.
- the TCO may be one selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide (ITO), zinc-doped indium tin oxide (ZITO), zinc indium oxide (ZIO), gallium indium oxide (GIO), zinc tin oxide (ZTO), fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO), In 4 Sn 3 O 12 , and zinc magnesium oxide (Zn 1-x Mg x O, 0 ⁇ 23 1).
- the TCO may be, for example, Zn 2 In 2 O 5 , GaInO 3 , ZnSnO 3 , F-doped SnO 2 , Al-doped ZnO, Ga-doped ZnO, MgO, or ZnO.
- the third electrode layer 22 c is formed of an optical reflective material to a thickness of about 10 to 5000 nm.
- the optical reflective material is one selected from the group consisting of Ag, an Ag-based alloy, Al, an Al-based alloy, and Rh.
- the Ag-based alloy refers to an alloy of Ag and any alloy material
- the Al-based alloy refers to an alloy of Al and any alloy material.
- the first, second, and third electrode layers 22 a , 22 b , and 22 c can be formed using an electronic beam (e-beam) & thermal evaporator or a dual-type thermal evaporator. Also, the first, second, and third electrode layers 22 a , 22 b , and 22 c can be formed by physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or plasma laser deposition (PLD). Each of the first, second, and third electrode layers 22 a , 22 b , and 22 c can be deposited at a temperature of about 20 to 1500° C. inside a reactor that is maintained under an atmospheric pressure to 10 ⁇ 12 Torr.
- PVD physical vapor deposition
- CVD chemical vapor deposition
- PLD plasma laser deposition
- the resultant structure is annealed. Specifically, the resultant structure where the third electrode layer 22 c is formed is annealed in an atmosphere containing at least one of N, Ar, He, O 2 , H 2 , and air. The annealing process is performed at a temperature of about 200 to 700° C. for 10 seconds to 2 hours.
- Another annealing process may be additionally performed under the same conditions after the second electrode layer 22 b is formed. That is, after each of the second and third electrode layers 22 b and 22 c is formed, an annealing process may be performed.
- the formation of the reflective electrode may comprise performing an annealing process twice.
- FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a reflective electrode 23 according to another embodiment of the present invention.
- the reflective electrode 23 further includes a fourth electrode layer 22 d disposed on a third electrode layer 22 c in comparison with the reflective electrode 22 shown in FIG. 1 .
- the fourth electrode layer 22 d is formed of one selected from the group consisting of Cu, Cu/Ru, Cu/Ir, a Cu-based alloy, a Cu-based alloy/Ru, and a Cu-based alloy/Ir.
- the fourth electrode layer 22 d is formed to a thickness of about 1 to 500 nm.
- the Cu-based alloy refers to an alloy Cu and any alloy material.
- the fourth electrode layer 22 d prevents an agglomeration caused by an annealing process from occurring on the surface of the third electrode layer 22 c.
- a p-type compound semiconductor layer 20 and a metal constituting the third electrode layer 22 c for example, Ag, an Ag-based alloy, Al, an Al-based alloy, or Rh. It is generally known that the difference in surface energy allows agglomeration to occur, and this can occur on the surface of the third electrode layer 22 c during the annealing process. When the agglomeration occurs on the surface of the third electrode layer 22 c , the reflectance of the third electrode layer 22 c is degraded, thus reducing an optical output of a compound semiconductor light emitting device including the reflective electrode 22 .
- the material forming the fourth electrode layer 22 d has a relatively similar surface energy to that of the p-type nitride semiconductor layer 20 and an excellent electrical conductivity.
- the fourth electrode layer 22 d formed on the third electrode layer 22 c serves as both an agglomeration preventing layer (APL) and an electrode layer.
- the fourth electrode layer 22 d can be formed by PVD, CVD, or PLD using an e-beam & thermal evaporator or a dual-type thermal evaporator.
- the fourth electrode layer 22 d is deposited at a temperature of about 20 to 1500° C. inside a reactor that is maintained under an atmospheric pressure to 10 ⁇ 12 Torr.
- the resultant structure may be annealed. Specifically, the resultant structure where the fourth electrode layer 22 d is formed is annealed in an atmosphere containing at least one of N, Ar, He, O 2 , H 2 , and air. The annealing process is performed at a temperature of 200 to 700° C. for 10 seconds to 2 hours.
- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a compound semiconductor light emitting device including the reflective electrode shown in FIG. 1 .
- the compound semiconductor light emitting device includes at least an n-type compound semiconductor layer 102 , an active layer 104 , and a p-type compound semiconductor layer 106 between an n-type electrode 120 and a p-type electrode 108 .
- the p-type electrode 108 is the same as the reflective electrode 22 shown in FIG. 1 . That is, the p-type electrode 108 includes the first electrode layer 22 a , the second electrode layer 22 b , and the third electrode layer 22 c shown in FIG. 1 of which operations and effects are the same as described above.
- the n-type compound semiconductor layer 102 includes a first compound semiconductor layer as a lower contact layer, which is stacked on a substrate 100 and has a step difference, and a lower clad layer stacked on the first compound semiconductor layer.
- the n-type lower electrode 120 is disposed in a stepped portion of the first compound semiconductor layer.
- the substrate 200 is typically a sapphire substrate or a freestanding GaN substrate.
- the first compound semiconductor layer may be an n-GaN-based III-V group nitride compound semiconductor layer, preferably, an n-GaN layer.
- the present invention is not limited thereto, but the first compound semiconductor layer may be formed of any other III-V group compound semiconductor that enables laser oscillation (lasing).
- the lower clad layer may be an n-GaN/AlGaN layer having a predetermined refractive index, but it is possible to use any other compound semiconductor layer that enables lasing.
- the active layer 104 may be formed of any material that enables lasing, preferably, a material that can oscillate laser beams having a small critical current and a stable transverse mode characteristic.
- the active layer 104 may be a GaN-based III-V group nitride compound semiconductor layer, which is InxAlyGa1-x ⁇ yN (0 ⁇ x ⁇ 1, 0 ⁇ y ⁇ 1, and x+y ⁇ 1).
- the active layer 104 may have one of a multiple quantum well (MQW) structure and a single quantum well (SQW) structure, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited by the structure of the active layer 104 .
- MQW multiple quantum well
- SQW single quantum well
- An upper waveguide layer and a lower waveguide layer may be further formed on and under the active layer 104 , respectively.
- the upper and lower waveguide layers are formed of a material having a low refractive index, preferably, a GaN-based III-V group compound semiconductor.
- the lower waveguide layer may be an n-GaN layer, while the upper waveguide layer may be a p-GaN layer.
- the p-type compound semiconductor layer 106 is stacked on the active layer 104 and includes an upper clad layer, which has a lower refractive index than the active layer 104 , and a second compound semiconductor layer, which is an ohmic contact layer stacked on the upper clad layer.
- the second compound semiconductor layer may be a p-GaN-based III-V group nitride compound semiconductor layer, preferably, a p-GaN layer.
- the present invention is not limited thereto, but the second compound semiconductor layer may be any other III-V group compound semiconductor layer that enables laser oscillation (lasing).
- the upper clad layer may be a p-GaN/AlGaN layer having a predetermined refractive index, but it is possible to use any other compound semiconductor layer that enables lasing.
- n-type electrode 120 is disposed in a stepped portion of the first compound semiconductor layer, which is a lower ohmic contact layer.
- the n-type electrode 120 may be formed on a bottom surface of the substrate 100 opposite the p-type electrode 108 .
- the substrate 100 may be formed of silicon carbide (SiC) or gallium nitride (GaN).
- FIG. 4A is a graph showing a current-voltage (I-V) characteristic of the reflective electrode (Ag/ITO/Ag) shown in FIG. 1 .
- the reflective electrode includes a first electrode layer formed of Ag, a second electrode layer formed of ITO, and a third electrode layer formed of Ag, which were sequentially stacked on a substrate.
- the first, second, and third electrode layers were formed to a thickness of about 3, 100, and 250 nm, respectively.
- the electrical characteristics of the reflective electrode were measured as deposited and as annealed at 530° C., respectively.
- the annealing process was performed in an O 2 or N atmosphere for 1 minute after the second electrode layer was formed. After the third electrode layer was formed, an annealing process was additionally performed under the same conditions.
- FIG. 4B is a graph showing an I-V characteristic of an InGaN blue light emitting diode (LED) including the reflective electrode (Ag/ITO/Ag) shown in FIG. 1 .
- the annealed reflective electrode and the light emitting device including the same exhibited an excellent I-V characteristic.
- the surface of a structure, in which a p-type GaN-based compound semiconductor layer is formed on a substrate was washed in an ultrasonic bath at a temperature of 60° C. using trichloroethylene (TCE), acetone, methanol, and distilled water, respectively, for 5 minutes each time. Then, the resultant structure was hard baked at a temperature of 100° C. for 10 minutes to remove the remaining moisture from this sample.
- TCE trichloroethylene
- a photoresist layer was spin-coated on the p-type compound semiconductor layer at 4,500 RPM.
- the resultant structure was soft baked at a temperature of 85° C. for 15 minutes.
- the sample was aligned with a mask, exposed to ultraviolet rays (UV) of 22.8 mW for 15 seconds, and dipped in a solution containing a mixture of a developing solution with distilled water in a ratio of 1:4 for 25 seconds.
- UV ultraviolet rays
- the developed sample was dipped in a buffered oxide etchant (BOE) solution for 5 minutes to remove a contaminated layer from the sample. Then, a first electrode layer was formed on the resultant structure using an e-beam evaporator. The first electrode layer was deposited by mounting Ag as an object of reaction on a mounting stage.
- BOE buffered oxide etchant
- a second electrode layer was deposited using ITO, a lift-off process was carried out using acetone, and the sample was loaded into a rapid thermal annealing (RTA) furnace and annealed at a temperature of about 430 to 530° C. for 1 minute.
- RTA rapid thermal annealing
- a third electrode layer was deposited on the second electrode layer using Ag inside an e-beam evaporator.
- the resultant structure where the third electrode layer is deposited was annealed in an O 2 or N atmosphere under the same conditions as when the second electrode layer was annealed. As a result, the reflective electrode was completed.
- the foregoing method of forming the reflective electrode can be applied to manufacture the light emitting devices shown in FIG. 3 .
- the reflective electrode of the present invention obtains low contact resistance, high reflectance, improved electrical conductivity, and an excellent I-V characteristic.
- the compound semiconductor light emitting device including the foregoing reflective electrode requires a low operating voltage and exhibits improved optical output and I-V characteristic. This compound semiconductor light emitting device reduces power dissipation, thus greatly improving luminous efficiency.
- the reflective electrode of the present invention can be applied to light emitting devices, such as LEDs and LDs.
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Abstract
Description
- Priority is claimed to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-0069151, filed on Aug. 31, 2004 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
- 1. Field of the Invention
- The present invention relates to a reflective electrode and a compound semiconductor light emitting device, and more particularly, to a reflective electrode with low contact resistance, high reflectance, and improved electrical conductivity, and a compound semiconductor light emitting device including the same.
- 2. Description of the Related Art
- Compound semiconductor light emitting devices, for example, semiconductor laser diodes such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs), convert electric signals into optical signals using the characteristics of compound semiconductors. Laser beams of the compound semiconductor light emitting devices have practically been applied in the fields of optical communications, multiple communications, and space communications. Semiconductor lasers are widely used as light sources for data transmission or data recording and reading in the field of optical communications and such apparatuses as compact disk players (CDPs) or digital versatile disk players (DVDPs).
- A compound semiconductor light emitting device can be categorized into a top-emitting light emitting diode (TLED) and a flip-chip light emitting diode (FCLED) according to the emission direction of light.
- The TLED emits light through a p-type electrode, which forms an ohmic contact with a p-type compound semiconductor layer. The p-type electrode includes a Ni layer and an Au layer, which are sequentially stacked on a p-type compound semiconductor layer. However, since the p-type electrode formed of the Ni layer and the Au layer is translucent, the TLED including the p-type electrode has low optical efficiency and low brightness.
- In the case of the FCLED, light emitted from an active layer is reflected by a reflective electrode formed on a p-type compound semiconductor layer, and the reflected light is emitted through a substrate. The reflective electrode is formed of a material having good optical reflectance, such as Ag, Al, and Rh. The FCLED including this reflective electrode can have high optical efficiency and high brightness. However, owing to a relatively high contact resistance between the reflective electrode and the p-type compound semiconductor layer, a light emitting device including the reflective electrode has a shortened life span and unreliable characteristics.
- To solve these problems, research on materials and structures for an electrode having low contact resistance and high reflectance has progressed.
- International Patent Publication No. WO 01/47038 A1 discloses a semiconductor light emitting device including a reflective electrode, which is provided with an ohmic contact layer disposed between the reflective electrode and a p-type compound semiconductor layer. However, the ohmic contact layer is formed of a material having low optical transmissivity, such as Ti or Ni/Au, thus degrading optical efficiency and brightness.
- Embodiments of the present invention provides a reflective electrode, which reduces contact resistance and has high reflectance and improved electrical conductivity, and a compound semiconductor light emitting device including the same.
- The present invention can be embodied as a reflective electrode of a compound semiconductor light emitting device, which is formed on a p-type compound semiconductor layer. The electrode includes, for example, a first, second and third electrode layer. The first electrode layer forms an ohmic contact with the p-type compound semiconductor layer. The second electrode layer is disposed on the first electrode layer and is formed of transparent conductive oxide. The third electrode layer disposed on the second electrode layer and formed of an optical reflective material, in this embodiment.
- The first electrode layer may be formed of indium oxide to which at least an additive element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Cu, Zr, and Sb is added, and an addition ratio of the additive element to the indium oxide is in the range of 0.001 to 49 atomic percent, for example. The thickness of the first electrode layer can range from 0.1 to 500 nm.
- Alternatively, the first electrode layer can be formed of Ag and an Ag-based alloy, and the Ag-based alloy can be an alloy of Ag and at least one selected from the group consisting of Mg, Zn, Sc, Hf, Zr, Te, Se, Ta, W, Nb, Cu, Si, Ni, Co, Mo, Cr, Mn, Hg, Pr, and La. The thickness of the first electrode layer can range from 0.1 to 500 nm, for example.
- The transparent conductive oxide can be formed of a material selected from the group consisting of ITO, ZITO, ZIO, GIO, ZTO, FTO, AZO, GZO, In4Sn3O12, and Zn1-xMgxO (0 ≦×≦1), and the thickness of the second electrode layer can range from 0.1 to 500 nm.
- The optical reflective material is one selected from the group consisting of Ag, an Ag-based alloy, Al, an Al-based alloy, and Rh, and the thickness of the third electrode layer can range from 10 to 5000 nm, for example.
- An optional fourth electrode layer can be formed on the third electrode layer using a predetermined material to prevent agglomeration caused by an annealing process from occurring on the surface of the third electrode layer. Examples of the fourth electrode layer material include one selected from the group consisting of Cu, Cu/Ru, Cu/Ir, a Cu-based alloy, Cu-based alloy/Ru, and Cu-based alloy/Ir. The fourth electrode layer ranges from 1 to 500 nm, for example.
- The present invention can also be embodied in a compound semiconductor light emitting device, for example. The compound semiconductor light emitting device includes an n-type electrode, a p-type electrode, and an n-type compound semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a p-type compound semiconductor layer, which are interposed between the n-type electrode and the p-type electrode, The p-type electrode is structured in accordance with the above.
- The above features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:
-
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a reflective electrode according to an embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a reflective electrode according to another embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a compound semiconductor light emitting device including the reflective electrode shown inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 4A is a graph showing a current-voltage (I-V) characteristic of the reflective electrode (Ag/ITO/Ag) shown inFIG. 1 ; and -
FIG. 4B is a graph showing an I-V characteristic of an InGaN blue light emitting diode (LED) including the reflective electrode (Ag/ITO/Ag) shown inFIG. 1 . - The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown.
-
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of areflective electrode 22 according to an embodiment of the present invention. - Referring to
FIG. 1 , thereflective electrode 22 is formed on a p-typecompound semiconductor layer 20. Thereflective electrode 22 includes afirst electrode layer 22 a, asecond electrode layer 22 b, and athird electrode layer 22 c, which are sequentially stacked on the p-typecompound semiconductor layer 20. - The
first electrode layer 22 a is formed of a material, which can form an ohmic contact with the p-typecompound semiconductor layer 20, to a thickness of about 0.1 to 500 nm. - In the present embodiment, the
first electrode layer 22 a is formed of indium oxide (e.g., In2O3) to which at least an additive element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Cu, Zr, and Sb is added. - The additive element controls the band gap, electron affinity, and work function of the indium oxide, thereby improving the ohmic contact characteristic of the
first electrode layer 22 a. Specifically, the additive element increases the effective carrier concentration of the p-typecompound semiconductor layer 20 and readily reacts with elements constituting the p-typecompound semiconductor layer 20 except nitrogen. - For example, when the p-type
compound semiconductor layer 20 is formed of a GaN-based compound, the additive element may react to Ga prior to N. In this case, Ga of the p-typecompound semiconductor layer 20 reacts to the additive element, thus generating Ga vacancies in the surface of the p-typecompound semiconductor layer 20. As the Ga vacancies function as a p-type dopant, an effective concentration of p-type carriers in the surface of p-typecompound semiconductor layer 20 increases. - The indium oxide to which the additive element is added reacts to a Ga2O3 layer, which is a native oxide layer that remains on the p-type
compound semiconductor layer 20, thus generating a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) between the p-typecompound semiconductor layer 20 and thefirst electrode layer 22 a. The Ga2O3 layer serves as a barrier to the flow of carriers at an interface between the p-typecompound semiconductor layer 20 and thefirst electrode layer 22 a. Thus, a tunneling conduction phenomenon may occur at the interface between thefirst electrode layer 22 a and the p-typecompound semiconductor layer 20, thus improving the ohmic contact characteristic of thefirst electrode layer 22 a. - An addition ratio of the additive element to indium oxide is in the range of 0.001 to 49 atomic percent.
- In another embodiment, the
first electrode layer 22 a may be formed of Ag or an Ag-based alloy. The Ag-based alloy is an alloy of Ag and at least one selected from the group consisting of Mg, Zn, Sc, Hf, Zr, Te, Se, Ta, W, Nb, Cu, Si, Ni, Co, Mo, Cr, Mn, Hg, Pr, and La. The Ag or Ag-based alloy may form an ohmic contact with the p-typecompound semiconductor layer 20, as described above. That is, the Ag and alloy elements, which may form thefirst electrode layer 22 a, increase the effective carrier concentration of the p-typecompound semiconductor layer 20 and readily react with elements constituting the p-typecompound semiconductor layer 20 except nitrogen. A detailed description thereof will be omitted here. - The
second electrode layer 22 b is formed of TCO to a thickness of 0.1 to 500 nm. The TCO may be one selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide (ITO), zinc-doped indium tin oxide (ZITO), zinc indium oxide (ZIO), gallium indium oxide (GIO), zinc tin oxide (ZTO), fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO), In4Sn3O12, and zinc magnesium oxide (Zn1-xMgxO, 0≦×23 1). The TCO may be, for example, Zn2In2O5, GaInO3, ZnSnO3, F-doped SnO2, Al-doped ZnO, Ga-doped ZnO, MgO, or ZnO. - The
third electrode layer 22 c is formed of an optical reflective material to a thickness of about 10 to 5000 nm. The optical reflective material is one selected from the group consisting of Ag, an Ag-based alloy, Al, an Al-based alloy, and Rh. Here, the Ag-based alloy refers to an alloy of Ag and any alloy material, and the Al-based alloy refers to an alloy of Al and any alloy material. - The first, second, and third electrode layers 22 a, 22 b, and 22 c can be formed using an electronic beam (e-beam) & thermal evaporator or a dual-type thermal evaporator. Also, the first, second, and third electrode layers 22 a, 22 b, and 22 c can be formed by physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or plasma laser deposition (PLD). Each of the first, second, and third electrode layers 22 a, 22 b, and 22 c can be deposited at a temperature of about 20 to 1500° C. inside a reactor that is maintained under an atmospheric pressure to 10−12 Torr.
- After the
third electrode layer 22 c is formed, the resultant structure is annealed. Specifically, the resultant structure where thethird electrode layer 22 c is formed is annealed in an atmosphere containing at least one of N, Ar, He, O2, H2, and air. The annealing process is performed at a temperature of about 200 to 700° C. for 10 seconds to 2 hours. - Another annealing process may be additionally performed under the same conditions after the
second electrode layer 22 b is formed. That is, after each of the second and third electrode layers 22 b and 22 c is formed, an annealing process may be performed. Thus, the formation of the reflective electrode may comprise performing an annealing process twice. -
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of areflective electrode 23 according to another embodiment of the present invention. - In the present embodiment, only different characteristics than in the first embodiment will be described, and the same reference numerals are used to denote the same elements as in the first embodiment.
- Referring to
FIG. 2 , thereflective electrode 23 further includes afourth electrode layer 22d disposed on athird electrode layer 22 c in comparison with thereflective electrode 22 shown inFIG. 1 . - The
fourth electrode layer 22 d is formed of one selected from the group consisting of Cu, Cu/Ru, Cu/Ir, a Cu-based alloy, a Cu-based alloy/Ru, and a Cu-based alloy/Ir. Thefourth electrode layer 22 d is formed to a thickness of about 1 to 500 nm. Here, the Cu-based alloy refers to an alloy Cu and any alloy material. - The
fourth electrode layer 22 d prevents an agglomeration caused by an annealing process from occurring on the surface of thethird electrode layer 22 c. - Specifically, there is a great difference in surface energy between a p-type
compound semiconductor layer 20 and a metal constituting thethird electrode layer 22 c, for example, Ag, an Ag-based alloy, Al, an Al-based alloy, or Rh. It is generally known that the difference in surface energy allows agglomeration to occur, and this can occur on the surface of thethird electrode layer 22 c during the annealing process. When the agglomeration occurs on the surface of thethird electrode layer 22 c, the reflectance of thethird electrode layer 22 c is degraded, thus reducing an optical output of a compound semiconductor light emitting device including thereflective electrode 22. - In the present embodiment, the material forming the
fourth electrode layer 22 d has a relatively similar surface energy to that of the p-typenitride semiconductor layer 20 and an excellent electrical conductivity. Thus, thefourth electrode layer 22 d formed on thethird electrode layer 22 c serves as both an agglomeration preventing layer (APL) and an electrode layer. - The
fourth electrode layer 22 d can be formed by PVD, CVD, or PLD using an e-beam & thermal evaporator or a dual-type thermal evaporator. Thefourth electrode layer 22 d is deposited at a temperature of about 20 to 1500° C. inside a reactor that is maintained under an atmospheric pressure to 10−12 Torr. - After the
fourth electrode layer 22 d is formed, the resultant structure may be annealed. Specifically, the resultant structure where thefourth electrode layer 22 d is formed is annealed in an atmosphere containing at least one of N, Ar, He, O2, H2, and air. The annealing process is performed at a temperature of 200 to 700° C. for 10 seconds to 2 hours. -
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a compound semiconductor light emitting device including the reflective electrode shown inFIG. 1 . - Referring to
FIG. 3 , the compound semiconductor light emitting device includes at least an n-typecompound semiconductor layer 102, anactive layer 104, and a p-typecompound semiconductor layer 106 between an n-type electrode 120 and a p-type electrode 108. The p-type electrode 108 is the same as thereflective electrode 22 shown inFIG. 1 . That is, the p-type electrode 108 includes thefirst electrode layer 22 a, thesecond electrode layer 22 b, and thethird electrode layer 22 c shown inFIG. 1 of which operations and effects are the same as described above. - The n-type
compound semiconductor layer 102 includes a first compound semiconductor layer as a lower contact layer, which is stacked on asubstrate 100 and has a step difference, and a lower clad layer stacked on the first compound semiconductor layer. The n-typelower electrode 120 is disposed in a stepped portion of the first compound semiconductor layer. - The substrate 200 is typically a sapphire substrate or a freestanding GaN substrate. The first compound semiconductor layer may be an n-GaN-based III-V group nitride compound semiconductor layer, preferably, an n-GaN layer. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, but the first compound semiconductor layer may be formed of any other III-V group compound semiconductor that enables laser oscillation (lasing). The lower clad layer may be an n-GaN/AlGaN layer having a predetermined refractive index, but it is possible to use any other compound semiconductor layer that enables lasing.
- The
active layer 104 may be formed of any material that enables lasing, preferably, a material that can oscillate laser beams having a small critical current and a stable transverse mode characteristic. Theactive layer 104 may be a GaN-based III-V group nitride compound semiconductor layer, which is InxAlyGa1-x−yN (0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1, and x+y≦1). Theactive layer 104 may have one of a multiple quantum well (MQW) structure and a single quantum well (SQW) structure, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited by the structure of theactive layer 104. - An upper waveguide layer and a lower waveguide layer may be further formed on and under the
active layer 104, respectively. The upper and lower waveguide layers are formed of a material having a low refractive index, preferably, a GaN-based III-V group compound semiconductor. The lower waveguide layer may be an n-GaN layer, while the upper waveguide layer may be a p-GaN layer. - The p-type
compound semiconductor layer 106 is stacked on theactive layer 104 and includes an upper clad layer, which has a lower refractive index than theactive layer 104, and a second compound semiconductor layer, which is an ohmic contact layer stacked on the upper clad layer. The second compound semiconductor layer may be a p-GaN-based III-V group nitride compound semiconductor layer, preferably, a p-GaN layer. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, but the second compound semiconductor layer may be any other III-V group compound semiconductor layer that enables laser oscillation (lasing). The upper clad layer may be a p-GaN/AlGaN layer having a predetermined refractive index, but it is possible to use any other compound semiconductor layer that enables lasing. - An n-
type electrode 120 is disposed in a stepped portion of the first compound semiconductor layer, which is a lower ohmic contact layer. Alternatively, the n-type electrode 120 may be formed on a bottom surface of thesubstrate 100 opposite the p-type electrode 108. In this case, thesubstrate 100 may be formed of silicon carbide (SiC) or gallium nitride (GaN). -
FIG. 4A is a graph showing a current-voltage (I-V) characteristic of the reflective electrode (Ag/ITO/Ag) shown inFIG. 1 . - The reflective electrode includes a first electrode layer formed of Ag, a second electrode layer formed of ITO, and a third electrode layer formed of Ag, which were sequentially stacked on a substrate. The first, second, and third electrode layers were formed to a thickness of about 3, 100, and 250 nm, respectively.
- The electrical characteristics of the reflective electrode (Ag/ITO/Ag) were measured as deposited and as annealed at 530° C., respectively. The annealing process was performed in an O2 or N atmosphere for 1 minute after the second electrode layer was formed. After the third electrode layer was formed, an annealing process was additionally performed under the same conditions.
-
FIG. 4B is a graph showing an I-V characteristic of an InGaN blue light emitting diode (LED) including the reflective electrode (Ag/ITO/Ag) shown inFIG. 1 . - As can be seen from
FIGS. 4A and 4B , the annealed reflective electrode and the light emitting device including the same exhibited an excellent I-V characteristic. - Hereinafter, experimental examples, which were conducted by the inventors in connection with the reflective electrode according to the present invention, will be described. The scope of the present invention is not limited by the following exemplary processes.
- At the outset, the surface of a structure, in which a p-type GaN-based compound semiconductor layer is formed on a substrate, was washed in an ultrasonic bath at a temperature of 60° C. using trichloroethylene (TCE), acetone, methanol, and distilled water, respectively, for 5 minutes each time. Then, the resultant structure was hard baked at a temperature of 100° C. for 10 minutes to remove the remaining moisture from this sample.
- Thereafter, a photoresist layer was spin-coated on the p-type compound semiconductor layer at 4,500 RPM. The resultant structure was soft baked at a temperature of 85° C. for 15 minutes. To develop a mask pattern, the sample was aligned with a mask, exposed to ultraviolet rays (UV) of 22.8 mW for 15 seconds, and dipped in a solution containing a mixture of a developing solution with distilled water in a ratio of 1:4 for 25 seconds.
- Thereafter, the developed sample was dipped in a buffered oxide etchant (BOE) solution for 5 minutes to remove a contaminated layer from the sample. Then, a first electrode layer was formed on the resultant structure using an e-beam evaporator. The first electrode layer was deposited by mounting Ag as an object of reaction on a mounting stage.
- After the first electrode layer was deposited, a second electrode layer was deposited using ITO, a lift-off process was carried out using acetone, and the sample was loaded into a rapid thermal annealing (RTA) furnace and annealed at a temperature of about 430 to 530° C. for 1 minute. After that, a third electrode layer was deposited on the second electrode layer using Ag inside an e-beam evaporator. The resultant structure where the third electrode layer is deposited was annealed in an O2 or N atmosphere under the same conditions as when the second electrode layer was annealed. As a result, the reflective electrode was completed.
- The foregoing method of forming the reflective electrode can be applied to manufacture the light emitting devices shown in
FIG. 3 . - The reflective electrode of the present invention obtains low contact resistance, high reflectance, improved electrical conductivity, and an excellent I-V characteristic.
- Also, the compound semiconductor light emitting device including the foregoing reflective electrode requires a low operating voltage and exhibits improved optical output and I-V characteristic. This compound semiconductor light emitting device reduces power dissipation, thus greatly improving luminous efficiency.
- Further, the reflective electrode of the present invention can be applied to light emitting devices, such as LEDs and LDs.
- While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.
Claims (28)
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
CN100463237C (en) | 2009-02-18 |
KR20060020331A (en) | 2006-03-06 |
US7491979B2 (en) | 2009-02-17 |
JP2006074042A (en) | 2006-03-16 |
US20080105890A1 (en) | 2008-05-08 |
CN1744334A (en) | 2006-03-08 |
KR100896564B1 (en) | 2009-05-07 |
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