Patent ID: 7821019

Claim:
A heterostructure semiconductor device capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation and having a junction with opposite conductivity type materials on either side thereof, said device comprising: a substrate supporting a heterostructure arrangement, said heterostructure arrangement comprising: an active layer structure having two major surfaces on opposite sides thereof characterized by an active layer band gap energy, and comprised of a selected one or more of zinc oxide, cadmium oxide and cadmium zinc oxide; a first carrier structure of p-type conductivity directly against one of said active layer structure major surfaces for injecting a first kind of charge carrier into said active layer structure with said first carrier structure being characterized by a first band gap energy and formed of at least two strata comprising p-type conductivity gallium nitride in a first strata and p-type conductivity aluminum gallium nitride in a second strata that is nearer said active layer structure than said first strata which has said substrate on an opposite side thereof so as to be free of any material containing zinc therebetween; and a second carrier structure of n-type conductivity directly against that remaining one of said active layer structure major surfaces for injecting a second kind of charge carrier into said active layer structure with said second carrier structure being characterized by a second band gap energy, said active layer band gap energy being less than either of said first and second band gap energies.