Semiconductor device, semiconductor laser, and method of producing a semiconductor device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019393679-A1
Application number	US-201716334738-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 15, 2017
Priority date	Nov 1, 2016
Publication date	Dec 26, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

[Object] To provide a semiconductor device, a semiconductor laser, and a method of producing a semiconductor device that are capable of sufficiently ensuring electrical connection between a transparent conductive layer and a semiconductor layer. [Solving Means] A semiconductor device according to the present technology includes: a first semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor layer; an active layer; and a transparent conductive layer. The first semiconductor layer has a first conductivity type, a stripe-shaped ridge being formed on a surface of the first semiconductor layer. A second width is not less than 0.99 and not more than 1.0 times a first width, a third width is not less than 0.96 and not more than 1.0 times the second width, and the transparent conductive layer has a uniform thickness within a range of not less than 90% and not more than 110% in a range of the third width, the first width being a width in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the ridge on a surface of the ridge on which the transparent conductive layer is formed, the second width being a width in the direction on a surface of the transparent conductive layer on a side of the ridge, the third width being a width in the direction on a surface opposite to the ridge of the transparent conductive layer.

First claim

Listing of claims:

1 . A semiconductor device, comprising:
a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type, a stripe-shaped ridge being formed on a surface of the first semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type; an active layer provided between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer; and a transparent conductive layer that is formed of a transparent conductive material and formed in the ridge, wherein a second width is not less than 0 . 99 and not more than 1 . 0 times a first width, a third width is not less than 0 . 96 and not more than 1 . 0 times the second width, and the transparent conductive layer has a uniform thickness within a range of not less than 90 % and not more than 110 % in a range of the third width, the first width being a width of a surface of the ridge on which the transparent conductive layer is formed in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the ridge, the second width being a width of a surface of the transparent conductive layer on a side of the ridge in the direction, the third width being a width of a surface of the transparent conductive layer opposite to the ridge in the direction. Application No. Not Yet Assigned Preliminary Amendment

2 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising a pad electrode that is formed of a conductive material and comes into contact with the transparent conductive layer, wherein the pad electrode includes an intermediate layer formed on a connection part between the pad electrode and the transparent conductive layer, constituent elements of the pad electrode and constituent elements of the transparent conductive layer being fused in the intermediate layer.

3 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising a metal electrode that is formed of a metal material and formed on the transparent conductive layer, wherein the metal electrode includes an intermediate layer formed on a connection part between the metal electrode and the transparent conductive layer, constituent elements of the metal electrode and constituent elements of the transparent conductive layer being fused in the intermediate layer.

4 . The semiconductor device according to claim 3 , wherein a fourth width is not less than 0 . 99 and not more than 1 . 0 times the third width, the fourth width being a width of a surface of the metal electrode on a side of the transparent conductive layer in the direction.

5 . A semiconductor laser, comprising:
a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type, a stripe-shaped ridge being formed on a surface of the first semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type; Application No. Not Yet Assigned Preliminary Amendment an active layer provided between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer; and a transparent conductive layer that is formed of a transparent conductive material and formed in the ridge, wherein a second width is not less than 0 . 99 and not more than 1 . 0 times a first width, a third width is not less than 0 . 96 and not more than 1 . 0 times the second width, and the transparent conductive layer has a uniform thickness within a range of not less than 90 % and not more than 110 % in a range of the third width, the first width being a width of a surface of the ridge on which the transparent conductive layer is formed in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the ridge, the second width being a width of a surface of the transparent conductive layer on a side of the ridge in the direction, the third width being a width of a surface of the transparent conductive layer opposite to the ridge in the direction.

6 . A method of producing a semiconductor device, comprising:
preparing a laminate including a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type, and an active layer provided between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer; forming a transparent conductive layer on the first semiconductor layer, the transparent conductive layer being formed of a transparent conductive material; Application No. Not Yet Assigned Preliminary Amendment forming a mask structure processed into a stripe shape on the transparent conductive layer; and removing at least a part of the transparent conductive layer and the first semiconductor layer by etching using the mask structure as an etching mask.

7 . The method of producing a semiconductor device according to claim 6 , wherein the mask structure is formed of a dielectric.

8 . The method of producing a semiconductor device according to claim 7 , wherein the forming the mask structure further includes forming a dielectric layer on the transparent conductive layer, the dielectric layer being formed of a dielectric, forming a photoresist on the dielectric layer, patterning the photoresist into a stripe shape, and etching the dielectric layer using the photoresist as an etching mask.

9 . The method of producing an optical device according to claim 6 , wherein the mask structure is formed of metal.

10 . The method of producing a semiconductor device according to claim 9 , wherein the forming the mask structure further includes forming a photoresist on the transparent conductive layer, Application No. Not Yet Assigned Preliminary Amendment patterning the photoresist into a shape having a stripe-shaped opening, forming a metal layer on the transparent conductive layer and the photoresist, and removing the photo resist and the metal layer formed on the photoresist.

11 . The method of producing a semiconductor device according to claim 9 , wherein the forming the mask structure further includes forming a metal layer on the transparent conductive layer, forming a photoresist on the metal, patterning the photoresist into a stripe shape, and etching the metal layer using the photoresist as an etching mask.

12 . The method of producing a semiconductor device according to claim 8 , further comprising:
after the removing at least a part of the transparent conductive layer and the first semiconductor layer by etching, forming a pad electrode that comes into contact with the transparent conductive layer; and forming an intermediate layer in a connection part between the pad electrode and the transparent conductive layer by heat treatment, constituent elements of the pad electrode and constituent elements of the transparent conductive layer being fused in the intermediate layer. Application No. Not Yet Assigned Preliminary Amendment

13 . The method of producing a semiconductor device according to claim 9 or 10 , further comprising forming, after forming the metal layer on the transparent conductive layer, an intermediate layer in a connection part between the metal layer and the transparent conductive layer by heat treatment, constituent elements of the metal layer and constituent elements of the transparent conductive layer being fused in the intermediate layer.

Assignees

• Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp

Inventors

• Murayama Masahiro

Classifications

• H01S5/3205

  with an active layer having a graded composition in the growth direction · CPC title

• H01S5/2059

  by means of particular conductivity zones, e.g. obtained by particle bombardment or diffusion · CPC title

• H01S5/04253 Primary

  having specific optical properties, e.g. transparent electrodes · CPC title

• H01S5/22 Primary

  having a ridge or stripe structure · CPC title

• H01S5/321

  having intermediate bandgap layers · CPC title