Patent ID: 8692228

Claim:
A semiconductor light emitting device comprising: a first layer made of at least one of n-type GaN and n-type AlGaN; a second layer made of Mg-containing p-type AlGaN, a Mg concentration in the second layer being 8×10 18 cm −3 or more and 3×10 19 cm −3 or less; and a light emitting section provided between the first layer and the second layer, the light emitting section including a plurality of barrier layers made of Si-containing Al x Ga 1-x-y In y N (0≦x, 0≦y, x+y≦1), x being 0.06 or more and 0.08 or less, y being 0.003 or more and 0.01 or less, and a well layer provided between each pair of the plurality of barrier layers and made of GaInN or AlGaInN, the plurality of barrier layers having a nearest barrier layer nearest to the second layer among the plurality of barrier layers, and a far barrier layer, a Si concentration in the far barrier layer being 1.1×10 19 cm −3 or more and 3×10 19 cm −3 or less, wherein only the nearest barrier layer includes a first portion made of Si-containing Al x Ga 1-x-y In y N (0≦x, 0≦y, x+y≦1), the first portion being in contact with the well layer, a Si concentration in the first portion being 1.1×10 19 cm −3 or more and 3×10 19 cm −3 or less and a second portion provided between the first portion and the second layer and made of Al x Ga 1-x-y In y N (0≦x, 0≦y, x+y≦1), a Si concentration in the second portion being 1×10 16 cm −3 or more and 9.0×10 18 cm −3 or less, the second portion having a thickness of 3 nanometers or more and 9 nanometers or less, the Si concentration in the second portion being lower than the Si concentration in the first portion and lower than the Si concentration in the far barrier layer, and a Mg concentration on the light emitting section side of the second layer being higher than a Mg concentration on the opposite side of the second layer from the light emitting section.