Nitride Semiconductor Light-Emitting Element with Carbon Current Spreading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional nitride semiconductor light emitting devices suffer from uneven current spreading, leading to deterioration in luminous efficacy due to excessive n-type or p-type dopants, resulting in high current density in some areas and low current density in others.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a current spreading part with carbon (C) impurities in the nitride semiconductor light emitting device, which includes a nitride layer with a free hole concentration ranging from 1×10^13 to 5×10^16/cm^3, guiding holes into the activation layer and having a higher carbon concentration than other layers, or a multilayer structure with alternating carbon and silicon concentrations to improve current distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the amount of n-type dopants in the n-type nitride layer or the amount of p-type dopants in the p-type nitride layer is increased to increase the inflow amount of electrons or holes into the activation layer, then the luminous efficacy is improved, but the current spreading becomes uneven causing high current density in some areas and low current density in others
Solution Approach 1:
A current spreading layer is introduced as an intermediary component between the n-type nitride layer and the activation layer. This layer contains carbon impurities (1×10^16 to 1×10^18 atoms/cm³) that modify the electrical properties to achieve uniform current distribution. The current spreading layer acts as a mediator that balances electron and hole injection, preventing localized high current density while maintaining high luminous efficacy in the activation layer
2Quantity of substance
If excess electrons flow from the n-type nitride layer into the activation layer, then the electron inflow is increased, but the current density becomes concentrated in some areas rather than uniformly distributed
Solution Approach 1:
The current spreading layer is designed with specific local properties: it contains carbon impurities at controlled concentrations (1×10^16 to 1×10^18 atoms/cm³) and has a specific thickness (500-5000 Å). These localized quality adjustments in the current spreading layer create optimal electrical conditions that distribute electron flow uniformly across the activation layer, preventing concentration in specific areas while maintaining high electron inflow
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a nitride semiconductor light-emitting element having a superior current spreading effect as a result of using a current spreading part containing current spreading impurities, and a method for manufacturing same. The nitride semiconductor light-emitting element according to the present invention comprises: an n-type nitride layer; a current spreading part, which is formed from nitride comprising current spreading impurities, and which is disposed on the n-type nitride layer; an activation layer disposed on the current spreading part; and a p-type nitride layer disposed on the activation layer, wherein the current spreading impurities comprise carbon (C).