Patent ID: 7432534

Claim:
A III-nitride semiconductor light emitting device comprising: a plurality of III-nitride semiconductor layers including an active layer emitting light by recombination of electrons and holes, the plurality of III-nitride semiconductor layers having a p-type III-nitride semiconductor layer at the top thereof, a Si a C b N c (a≧0,b>0,c>0) layer grown on the p-type III-nitride semiconductor layer, wherein the Si a C b N c (a≧0,b>0,c>0) layer has an n-type conductivity and a thickness of 5 Å to 500 Å for the holes to be injected into the p-type III-nitride semiconductor layer by tunneling, and a p-side electrode formed on the Si a C b N c (a≧0,b>0,c>0) layer.