Patent ID: 6835963
Filing Date: 2004-12-28
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
A light-emitting element of surface-emitting type, comprising:a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, said substrate being transparent to light with a wavelength of &lgr;; first conductive type semiconductor layer formed on said first surface of said substrate; a light-emitting layer formed on said first conductive type semiconductor layer and emitting light with a wavelength of &lgr; by current injection; a second conductive type semiconductor layer formed on said light-emitting layer and having an electrode forming surface and a projecting portion, said projecting portion projecting from said electrode forming surface in a thickness direction to guide light from said light-emitting layer to outside; a wavefront converter of a material opaque to said light from said light-emitting layer, formed on said projecting portion of said second conductive type semiconductor layer, being separate from said electrode forming surface in the thickness direction, and having a small aperture with a diameter smaller than the wavelength &lgr; of the light; a first electrode formed on a surface of said first conductive type semiconductor layer on the side of said light-emitting layer so as to be electrically connected to said first conductive type semiconductor layer; a second electrode formed on said electrode forming surface of said second conductive type semiconductor layer, the surface thereof being recessed from said wavefront converter toward said light-emitting layer side; and a diffraction grating lens formed on said second surface of said substrate to have a planar pattern, and reflecting part of said light emitted from said light-emitting layer toward said substrate as a reflection light, the reflection light being focused toward the small aperture of said wavefront converter, the reflection light and light emitted from said light-emitting layer toward said second conductive type semiconductor layer being narrowed at the small aperture and emitted as an output light, the output light including evanescent waves.