Patent ID: 8168986

Claim:
A GaN-based semiconductor light-emitting element comprising: (A) a first GaN-based compound semiconductor layer of n-conductivity type; (B) an active layer having a multi-quantum well structure including well layers and barrier layers that separate adjacent well layers; (C) a second GaN-based compound semiconductor layer of p-conductivity type; (D) a first electrode that is electrically connected to the first GaN-based compound semiconductor layer; and (E) a second electrode that is electrically connected to the second GaN-based compound semiconductor layer, wherein at least one of the barrier layers constituting the active layer is composed of a varying-composition barrier layer, and the composition of the varying-composition barrier layer varies in a thickness direction thereof so that the band-gap energy in a first region of the varying-composition barrier layer, the first region being adjacent to a boundary between a well layer disposed on a side closer to the second GaN-based compound semiconductor layer and the varying-composition barrier layer, is lower than the band-gap energy in a second region of the varying-composition barrier layer, the second region being adjacent to a boundary between a well layer disposed on a side closer to the first GaN-based compound semiconductor layer and the varying-composition barrier layer.