Semiconductor light emitting device, method of manufacturing the same, image display device, and electronic apparatus

Abstract

A semiconductor light emitting device including an active layer, a compound semiconductor layer on the active layer, a contact layer on the compound semiconductor layer, and an electrode on the contact layer, where the contact layer is substantially the same size as the electrode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A semiconductor light emitting device comprising:
 a first compound semiconductor layer;   an active layer on the first compound semiconductor layer;   a second compound semiconductor layer on the active layer, the second compound semiconductor layer including a clad layer and a contact layer in this order from the active layer side; and   an electrode on the contact layer,   wherein the contact layer is smaller than the clad layer.   
     
     
         2 . The semiconductor light emitting device of  claim 1 , wherein the contact layer is substantially the same size as the electrode. 
     
     
         3 . The semiconductor light emitting device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode covers the contact layer. 
     
     
         4 . The semiconductor light emitting device of  claim 2 , wherein the average area S 1  of the contact layer and the average area S 2  of the electrode satisfy the relation of ½≦S 2 /S 1 ≦2. 
     
     
         5 . The semiconductor light emitting device of  claim 2 , wherein the average area S 1  of the contact layer and the average area S 2  of the electrode satisfy the relation of S 2 /S 1 =1.05. 
     
     
         6 . The semiconductor light emitting device of  claim 1 , wherein the active layer includes a GaInP compound semiconductor layer and is doped with an impurity. 
     
     
         7 . The semiconductor light emitting device of  claim 6 , wherein the doping concentration of an n-type impurity in the active layer is in the range of 5×10 15 /cm 3  to 1×10 18 /cm 3 . 
     
     
         8 . The semiconductor light emitting device of  claim 6 , wherein the first compound semiconductor layer includes a first AlGaInP compound semiconductor layer, and the clad layer is a second AlGaInP compound semiconductor layer. 
     
     
         9 . The semiconductor light emitting device of  claim 8 , wherein the first compound semiconductor is n-type, and the second compound semiconductor is p-type. 
     
     
         10 . An image display device including:
 a plurality of light emitting devices each including
 a first compound semiconductor layer; 
 an active layer on the first compound semiconductor layer; 
 a second compound semiconductor layer on the active layer, the second compound semiconductor layer including a clad layer and a contact layer in this order from the active layer side; and 
 an electrode on the contact layer, 
 wherein the contact layer is smaller than the clad layer. 
   
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device including the steps of:
 forming a first compound semiconductor layer;   forming an active layer on the first compound semiconductor layer;   forming a second compound semiconductor layer on the active layer, the second compound semiconductor layer including a clad layer and a contact layer in this order from the active layer side; and   forming an electrode on the contact layer, wherein the contact layer is smaller than the clad layer.