Silicon Nitride Layer for Light Emitting Device, Light Emitting Device Using the Same, and Method of Forming Silicon Nitride Layer for Light Emitting Device

Abstract

Provided are a silicon nitride layer for a light emitting device, light emitting device using the same, and method of forming the silicon nitride layer for the light emitting device. The silicon nitride layer of the light emitting device includes a silicon nitride matrix and silicon nanocrystals formed in the silicon nitride matrix. A light emitting device manufactured by the silicon nitride layer has a good luminous efficiency and emits light in the visible region including the short-wavelength blue/violet region and the near infrared region.

1 . A silicon nitride layer for a light emitting device comprising: 
 a silicon nitride matrix; and    silicon nanocrystals formed in the silicon nitride matrix.    
   
   
       2 . The silicon nitride layer according to  claim 1 , wherein the silicon nanocrystal has a diameter of about 2 to 7 nm and a density of 10 11  to 10 13 /cm 2 .  
   
   
       3 . The silicon nitride layer according to  claim 1 , wherein the silicon nitride layer has a thickness of about 3 to 100 nm.  
   
   
       4 . A silicon light emitting device comprising: 
 an emission layer formed of a silicon nitride layer,    wherein the silicon nitride layer includes a silicon nitride matrix and silicon nanocrystals formed in the silicon nitride matrix.    
   
   
       5 . The silicon light emitting device according to  claim 4 , wherein the silicon nanocrystal has a diameter of about 2 to 7 nm and a density of 10 11  to 10 13 /cm 2 .  
   
   
       6 . The silicon light emitting device according to  claim 4 , wherein the silicon nitride layer has a thickness of about 3 to 100 nm.  
   
   
       7 . A method of forming a silicon nitride layer for a light emitting device, the method comprising: 
 loading a substrate into a chamber of a thin-film growth system; and    growing a silicon nitride matrix and simultaneously forming silicon nanocrystals in the silicon nitride matrix using a silicon source gas and a nitrogen source gas.    
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the silicon nitride layer for the light emitting device is grown at a growth rate of 1.3 to 1.8 nm/min by supplying the silicon source gas and the nitrogen source gas to the chamber in a ratio of 1:1000 to 1:4000.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the silicon nitride layer for the light emitting device is grown on the substrate at a growth rate of 5 to 10 nm/min by supplying the silicon source gas and an ammonia source gas to the chamber in a ratio of 1:1 to 1:5.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein silane gas is used as the silicon source gas, and one of nitrogen gas and ammonia gas is used as the nitrogen source gas.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the silicon nitride layer is formed by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) process, or an ion implantation process.  
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the silicon nitride layer is formed by a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the silicon source gas is diluted with an inert gas at less than 50%.