Patent ID: 6787383
Filing Date: 2004-09-07
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
A light-emitting device having a light emitting layer section which comprises a compound semiconductor layer, and an oxide transparent electrode layer for applying drive voltage for light emission to the light emitting layer section, which device being composed so that the light from the light emitting layer section can be extracted through the oxide transparent electrode layer, whereinan electrode contact layer for reducing contact resistance of the oxide transparent electrode layer is arranged between the light emitting layer section and the oxide transparent electrode layer so as to contact with such oxide transparent electrode layer, where on a contacting interface of such oxide transparent electrode layer, occupied areas and unoccupied areas for the electrode contact layer are arranged in a mixed manner; the light emitting layer section is composed of (AlxGa1-x)yIn1-yP (where 0&lE;x&lE;1 and 0&lE;y&lE;1) or InxGayAl1-x-yN (where 0&lE;x&lE;1 and x+y&lE;1); the light emitting layer section has a double heterostructure which comprises a first conductivity type cladding layer, an active layer and a second conductivity type cladding layer stacked in this order, which layers being respectively composed of the above-described (AlxGa1-x)yIn1-yP and the electrode contact layer is formed between the oxide transparent electrode layer and at least either of the first conductivity type cladding layer and second conductivity type cladding layer; an ITO electrode layer is provided as the oxide transparent electrode on either side of the first conductivity type cladding layer and the second conductivity type cladding layer so that the light from the light emitting layer section can be extracted through such ITO electrode layer, and the electrode contact layer composed of In-containing GaAs is formed so as to contact with such ITO electrode layer; and the electrode contact layer has a distribution of the In concentration along the thickness-wise direction thereof such that continuously decreasing as the distance from the ITO electrode layer increases.