Method of manufacturing nitride based semiconductor light-emitting device

Abstract

Nitride based semiconductor light-emitting devices with a sufficiently low contact resistance p-type electrode and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. One such method of manufacturing nitride based semiconductor light-emitting devices includes steps of growing island-like AlGaN films 17 on p-type nitride based semiconductor layer 16, etching a surface of p-type type nitride based semiconductor layer 16 to make uneven portions 18 on its surface by using island-like AlGaN films 17 as a photomask, and forming of a p-type ohmic electrode on an electrode forming region of the uneven portion 18.

1 . A method of manufacturing nitride based semiconductor light-emitting devices, comprising: 
 forming of a first conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer, an active layer with a p-n junction, and a second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer by turns on a substrate;    growing of island-like A1GaN film on said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer;    etching of a surface of said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer to make uneven portions on said surface thereof; and    forming of an ohmic electrode on said uneven portion of said surface of said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer.    
   
   
       2 . A method of manufacturing nitride based semiconductor light-emitting devices, according to  claim 1 , wherein said uneven portions are protrusions.  
   
   
       3 . A method of manufacturing nitride based semiconductor light-emitting devices, according to  claim 2 , wherein said uneven portions are provided with fine recesses on a surface thereof.  
   
   
       4 . A method of manufacturing nitride based semiconductor light-emitting devices according to  claim 2 , wherein said uneven portions are provided with regions on a surface thereof which are out of stoichiometric compositions.  
   
   
       5 . A method of manufacturing nitride based semiconductor light-emitting devices according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein said growing of said island-like A1GaN film on said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer employs carrier gases of nitrogen and hydrogen and is carried out by applying a metal organic chemical vapor deposition method at a temperature range within which said A1Ga film is grown substantially in two-dimension, and    said etching of said surface of said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer is carried out by heating said surface of said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer in hydrogen or mixed gases of hydrogen and nitrogen.    
   
   
       6 . A method of manufacturing nitride based semiconductor light-emitting devices according to  claim 1 , wherein said growing of said island-like A1GaN film on said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer and said etching of said surface of said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer are continuously carried out once or repeatedly in a metal organic chemical vapor deposition chamber.  
   
   
       7 - 11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . A method of manufacturing nitride based semiconductor light-emitting devices according to  claim 2 , 
 wherein said growing of said island-like A1GaN film on said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer employs carrier gases of nitrogen and hydrogen and is carried out by applying a metal organic chemical vapor deposition method at a temperature range within which said AlGa film is grown substantially in two-dimension, and    said etching of said surface of said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer is carried out by heating said surface of said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer in hydrogen or mixed gases of hydrogen and nitrogen.    
   
   
       13 . A method of manufacturing nitride based semiconductor light-emitting devices according to  claim 3 , 
 wherein said growing of said island-like A1GaN film on said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer employs carrier gases of nitrogen and hydrogen and is carried out by applying a metal organic chemical vapor deposition method at a temperature range within which said AlGa film is grown substantially in two-dimension, and    said etching of said surface of said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer is carried out by heating said surface of said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer in hydrogen or mixed gases of hydrogen and nitrogen.    
   
   
       14 . A method of manufacturing nitride based semiconductor light-emitting devices according to  claim 4 , 
 wherein said growing of said island-like A1GaN film on said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer employs carrier gases of nitrogen and hydrogen and is carried out by applying a metal organic chemical vapor deposition method at a temperature range within which said AlGa film is grown substantially in two-dimension, and    said etching of said surface of said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer is carried out by heating said surface of said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer in hydrogen or mixed gases of hydrogen and nitrogen.    
   
   
       15 . A method of manufacturing nitride based semiconductor light-emitting devices according to  claim 2 , wherein said growing of said island-like A1GaN film on said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer and said etching of said surface of said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer are continuously carried out once or repeatedly in a metal organic chemical vapor deposition chamber.  
   
   
       16 . A method of manufacturing nitride based semiconductor light-emitting devices according to  claim 3 , wherein said growing of said island-like A1GaN film on said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer and said etching of said surface of said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer are continuously carried out once or repeatedly in a metal organic chemical vapor deposition chamber.  
   
   
       17 . A method of manufacturing nitride based semiconductor light-emitting devices according to  claim 4 , wherein said growing of said island-like A1GaN film on said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer and said etching of said surface of said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer are continuously carried out once or repeatedly in a metal organic chemical vapor deposition chamber.  
   
   
       18 . A method of manufacturing nitride based semiconductor light-emitting devices according to  claim 5 , wherein said growing of said island-like A1GaN film on said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer and said etching of said surface of said second conductive type nitride based semiconductor layer are continuously carried out once or repeatedly in a metal organic chemical vapor deposition chamber.