Patent ID: 7001790

Claim:
A method for producing a light-emitting semiconductor device of a group III nitride compound, comprising: forming an N-layer of an N-type conduction, said N-layer comprising gallium nitride; forming an emission layer of a group III nitride compound semiconductor satisfying the formula, Al x1 Ga y1 In 1-x1-y1 N, where 0≦x 1 ≦1, 0≦y 1 ≦1, and 0≦x 1 +y 1 ≦1, on said N-layer; forming a P-layer of a P-type conduction, on said emission layer, said P-layer comprising aluminum gallium nitride satisfying the formula, Al x2 Ga 1-x2 N where 0<x 2 <1; and forming a contact layer of a P-type conduction, on said P-layer, said contact layer comprising gallium nitride; forming a hole and a groove extending from said contact layer to said N-layer; forming a first electrode on a top surface of said contact layer; and forming a second electrode on an upper exposed surface of said N-layer in said hole.