Near UV light emitting device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10164150-B2
Application number	US-201615096252-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2016
Priority date	Mar 29, 2012
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed is a near UV light emitting device. The light emitting device includes an n-type contact layer, a p-type contact layer, an active area of a multi-quantum well structure disposed between the n-type contact layer and the p-type contact layer, and at least one electron control layer disposed between the n-type contact layer and the active area. Each of the n-type contact layer and the p-type contact layer includes an AlInGaN or AlGaN layer, and the electron control layer is formed of AlInGaN or AlGaN. In addition, the electron control layer contains a larger amount of Al than adjacent layers to obstruct flow of electrons moving into the active area. Accordingly, electron mobility is deteriorated, thereby improving recombination rate of electrons and holes in the active area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A light emitting device, comprising:
an n-type contact layer comprising an AlGaN layer or an AlInGaN layer;
a p-type contact layer comprising an AlGaN layer or an AlInGaN layer;
an active area disposed between the n-type contact layer and the p-type contact layer, and having a multi-quantum well structure;
at least one electron control layer disposed between the n-type contact layer and the active area
a super-lattice layer disposed between the n-type contact layer and the active area; and
an electron implantation layer disposed between the super-lattice layer and the active area,
wherein the active area comprises barrier layers and well layers, the barrier layers being formed of AlInGaN or AlGaN and comprising a first barrier layer that is disposed closer to the n-type contact layer than any other barrier layer and that comprises a higher atomic percentage of Al than any other barrier layer, and
wherein the electron control layer is formed of AlInGaN or AlGaN and contains a higher atomic percentage of Al than adjacent layers.

2. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the first barrier layer comprises 30% to 50% Al.

3. The light emitting device of claim 2 , wherein the other barrier layers except for the first barrier layer comprise AlInGaN or AlGaN comprising 10% to 30% Al and 1% or less In.

4. The light emitting device of claim 3 , wherein the first barrier layer comprises AlInGaN comprising 1% or less In.

5. The light emitting device of claim 1 , further comprising an n-electrode electrically connected to the n-type contact layer,
wherein the electron control layer contacts the active layer.

6. The light emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the active area is configured to emit near UV light in a wavelength range of 360 nm to 390 nm.

7. The light emitting device of claim 6 , wherein the well layers comprise InGaN.

8. A light emitting device, comprising:
an n-type contact layer comprising an AlGaN layer or an AlInGaN layer;
a p-type contact layer comprising an AlGaN layer or an AlInGaN layer;
an active area disposed between the n-type contact layer and the p-type contact layer, and having a multi-quantum well structure;
at least one electron control layer disposed between the n-type contact layer and the active area,
a super-lattice layer disposed between the n-type contact layer and the active area; and
an electron implantation layer disposed between the super-lattice layer and the active area,
wherein the active area comprises barrier layers and well layers, the barrier layers being formed of AlInGaN or AlGaN and comprising a first barrier layer that is disposed closer to the n-type contact layer than any other barrier layer and that comprises a higher atomic percentage of Al than any other barrier layer,
wherein the electron control layer is formed of AlInGaN or AlGaN and contains a higher atomic percentage of Al than adjacent layers, such that the electron control layer is configured to obstruct the movements of electrons into the active area.

9. The light emitting device of claim 8 , further comprising:
an anti-electrostatic discharge layer disposed between the n-type contact layer and the super-lattice layer;
wherein the first electron control layer is disposed between the anti-electrostatic discharge layer and the super-lattice layer.

10. The light emitting device of claim 9 , wherein the anti-electrostatic discharge layer comprises:
an undoped AlGaN layer;
a low concentration AlGaN layer comprising a lower concentration of n-type impurities than the n-type contact layer;
and a high concentration AlGaN layer comprising a higher concentration of n-type impurities than the low concentration AlGaN layer, wherein
the low concentration AlGaN layer is disposed between the undoped AlGaN layer and the high concentration AlGaN layer, and
the first electron control layer is disposed directly adjacent to the high concentration AlGaN layer.

11. The light emitting device of claim 9 , wherein the n-type contact layer and the super-lattice layer each comprise less than 10% of Al, and the first electron control layer comprises 10% to 20% of Al.

12. The light emitting device of claim 9 , wherein a second electron control layer is disposed between the n-type contact layer and the anti-electrostatic discharge layer.

13. The light emitting device of claim 12 , wherein the n-type contact layer and the anti-electrostatic discharge layer comprise less than 10% Al, and the second electron control layer comprises 10% to 20% Al.

14. The light emitting device of claim 12 , wherein the n-type contact layer comprises:
a lower gallium nitride layer;
an upper aluminum gallium nitride layer; and
an intermediate layer comprising a multilayer structure and disposed between the lower gallium nitride layer and the upper aluminum gallium nitride layer.

15. The light emitting device of claim 14 , wherein the intermediate layer comprises alternately stacked AlInN and GaN layers.

16. The light emitting device of claim 14 , wherein the second electron control layer contacts the upper aluminum gallium nitride layer.

17. The light emitting device of claim 12 , wherein the n-type contact layer comprises a modulation-doped AlGaN layer.

18. An ultraviolet (UV) light emitting device, comprising:
an n-type contact layer including an AlGaN layer or an AlInGaN layer;
a p-type contact layer including a AlGaN layer or an AlInGaN layer;
a multi-quantum well-structured active area disposed between the n-type contact layer and the p-type contact layer, the active area comprising well layers and barrier layers alternately stacked;
at least one electron control layer disposed between the n-type contact layer and the active area;
a super-lattice layer disposed between the n-type contact layer and the active area; and
an electron implantation layer disposed between the super-lattice layer and the active area
wherein:
the barrier layers are formed of AlInGaN or AlGaN and comprise Al in an amount of 10% to 30%;
at least one of the barrier layers disposed between the well layers has a smaller thickness than at least one of the well layers; and
at least one of the barrier layers disposed between the well layers has a thickness and a band gap provided in a set ratio to prevent electrons and holes injected into and confined in a first well layer adjacent to the barrier layer from spreading into a second adjacent well layer.

Assignees

• Seoul Viosys Co Ltd

Inventors

• Han Chang Suk
• Kim Hwa Mok
• Choi Hyo Shik
• Ko Mi So
• Lee A Ram Cha

Classifications

• H01L33/14 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L33/04

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L33/06

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L33/32

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H10H20/811

  having quantum effect structures or superlattices, e.g. tunnel junctions · CPC title