Nitride-Based Light-Emitting Device and Method of Manufacturing the Same

Abstract

A nitride-based light-emitting device and a method of manufacturing the same. The light-emitting device includes a substrate, and an n-cladding layer, an active layer, a p-cladding layer, a grid cell layer and an ohmic contact layer sequentially formed on the substrate. The grid cell layer has separated, conducting particle type cells with a size of less than 30 micrometers buried in the ohmic contact layer. The nitride-based light-emitting device and the method of manufacturing the same improve the characteristics of ohmic contact on the p-cladding layer, thereby increasing luminous efficiency and life span of the device while simplifying a manufacturing process by omitting an activation process after wafer growth.

1 . A method of manufacturing a nitride-based light-emitting device having an active layer between n- and p-cladding layers, the method comprising:
 depositing a material for a grid cell layer on the p-cladding layer in a light-emitting structure including a substrate, wherein the n-cladding layer, the active layer, and the p-cladding layer are sequentially formed on a substrate;   annealing the grid cell layer so that it is discretely separated into a plurality of particle type cells at an annealing temperature; and   forming an ohmic contact layer on the grid cell layer.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , before depositing the material for the grid cell layer, further comprising depositing an n-electrode layer on an exposed n-cladding layer without annealing,
 wherein the n-electrode layer is annealed in the step of annealing the grid cell layer.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the annealing temperature is sufficiently high to activate a dopant in the p-cladding layer. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of annealing the grid cell layer is performed at 300 to 900° C. in a nitrogen, oxygen, or vacuum ambient. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of annealing the grid cell layer is performed at 300 to 900° C. in a nitrogen, oxygen, or vacuum ambient. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein in the depositing of the material for the grid cell layer, the material for the grid cell layer is deposited to a thickness of 1 to 50 nanometers.