Patent ID: 8731016
Filing Date: 2014-05-20
Classification: B82Y,H01S

Abstract:
1. A nitride semiconductor light emitting device comprising: a first group III nitride semiconductor region including an n-type cladding layer and a first inner semiconductor layer; an active layer provided on the first inner semiconductor layer in the first group III nitride semiconductor region; a second group III nitride semiconductor region including a p-type cladding layer and a second inner semiconductor layer, the second group III nitride semiconductor region being provided on the active layer; and an electrode provided on the second group III nitride semiconductor region, the first group III nitride semiconductor region, the active layer, and the second group III nitride semiconductor region being arranged in order along a given stacking axis; the first inner semiconductor layer being provided between the active layer and the n-type cladding layer; the second inner semiconductor layer being provided between the active layer and the p-type cladding layer; the first inner semiconductor layer, the active layer, and the second inner semiconductor layer constituting a core region; the n-type cladding layer, the core region, and the p-type cladding layer constituting an optical waveguide structure; the active layer and the first inner semiconductor layer of the first group III nitride semiconductor region forming a first heterojunction; the n-type cladding layer comprising a group III nitride semiconductor; the first heterojunction is inclined with respect to a reference plane at an inclination angle of greater than zero, the reference plane extending along a c-plane of the group III nitride semiconductor of the n-type cladding layer; the active layer including a well layer, the well layer comprising a gallium nitride semiconductor, the well layer including a compressive strain, a piezoelectric polarization of the well layer being oriented in a direction from the p-type cladding layer toward the n-type cladding layer, and the well layer including an InGaN layer; the well layer of the active layer and the second inner semiconductor layer of the second group III nitride semiconductor region forming a second heterojunction; the second group III nitride semiconductor region including a semiconductor ridge; the semiconductor ridge including a third heterojunction between the second inner semiconductor layer and the p-type cladding layer; the second inner semiconductor layer includes a first portion, a second portion and a third portion between the first portion and the second portion, the first portion forms the second heterojunction with the well layer of the active layer, the second portion from the third heterojunction to a bottom of the semiconductor ridge, and the third portion being provided between the first portion and the second portion; the first portion, the third portion and the second portion being arranged in order along the stacking axis; and a distance between the bottom of the semiconductor ridge and the second heterojunction being 200 nm or less.