Nitride semiconductor light-emittting device and process for producing the same

Abstract

Provided are a nitride semiconductor light-emitting device comprising a polycrystalline or amorphous substrate made of AlN; a plurality of dielectric patterns formed on the AlN substrate and having a stripe or lattice structure; a lateral epitaxially overgrown-nitride semiconductor layer formed on the AlN substrate having the dielectric patterns by Lateral Epitaxial Overgrowth; a first conductive nitride semiconductor layer formed on the nitride semiconductor layer; an active layer formed on the first conductive nitride semiconductor layer; and a second conductive nitride semiconductor layer formed on the active layer; and a process for producing the same.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A process for producing a nitride semiconductor light-emitting device, comprising the steps of:
 providing a polycrystalline or amorphous substrate made of AlN;   forming a plurality of dielectric patterns having a stripe or lattice structure on the AlN substrate;   forming a lateral epitaxially overgrown-nitride semiconductor layer on the AlN substrate having the dielectric patterns by Lateral Epitaxial Overgrowth;   forming a first conductive nitride semiconductor layer on the nitride semiconductor layer;   forming an active layer on the first conductive nitride semiconductor layer; and   forming a second conductive nitride semiconductor layer on the active layer.   
     
     
         11 . The process as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the substrate comprises (GaIn)AlN substrate. 
     
     
         12 . The process as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the AlN substrate is a polycrystalline substrate, and the process further comprises the step of etching the upper surface of the AlN substrate such that irregularities having a predetermined face direction are formed on the AlN polycrystalline substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The process as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the etching step is a step of applying wet etching to the AlN substrate using an etching solution containing NaOH. 
     
     
         14 . The process as set forth in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 forming a buffer layer on the AlN substrate, prior to forming the dielectric patterns.   
     
     
         15 . The process as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the buffer layer is a low temperature nucleus-growth layer made of a material having a formula of Al x Ga 1-x N wherein x is between 0 and 1. 
     
     
         16 . The process as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the process further comprises the step of etching the upper surface of the buffer layer such that irregularities having a predetermined face direction are formed thereon. 
     
     
         17 . The process as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the etching step is a step of applying wet etching to the buffer layer using an etching solution containing NaOH. 
     
     
         18 . The process as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the dielectric patterns are made of SiO 2  or SiN. 
     
     
         19 . The process as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the lateral epitaxially overgrown-nitride semiconductor layer is a nitride semiconductor layer containing first conductive impurities. 
     
     
         20 . The process as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the first conductive nitride semiconductor layer is an n-type nitride semiconductor layer, and the second conductive nitride semiconductor layer is a p-type nitride semiconductor layer. 
     
     
         21 . The process as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the lateral epitaxially overgrown-nitride semiconductor layer is a nitride semiconductor layer containing Al, and the step of forming the lateral epitaxially overgrown-nitride semiconductor layer is a step of forming the lateral epitaxially overgrown-nitride semiconductor layer using Lateral Epitaxial Overgrowth while injecting Cl- or Br-based gas. 
     
     
         22 . The process as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein the Br- or Cl-based gas is gas containing at least one selected from the group consisting of Br 2 , Cl 2 , CBr 4 , CCl 4 , HBr and HCl.