Patent ID: 8835954

Claim:
A semiconductor light emitting device comprising: a structure including a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type and a light emitting layer provided between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer; an electrode layer provided on the second semiconductor layer side of the structure, the electrode layer including a metal portion with a thickness of not less than 10 nanometers and not more than 100 nanometers along a direction from the first semiconductor layer toward the second semiconductor layer, and a plurality of openings piercing the metal portion along the direction, each of the openings viewed in the direction having an equivalent circle diameter of not less than 10 nanometers and not more than 5 micrometers, the metal portion including a first layer and a second layer, the first layer containing Ag, the second layer being provided between the first layer and the second semiconductor layer, the second layer containing at least one of Ni, Ti, Cr and Co, the second layer having a thickness of not less than 1 nanometer and not more than 5 nanometers; and an inorganic film providing on the metal portion and inner surfaces of the openings, the inorganic film having transmittivity with respect to light emitted from the light emitting layer, the inorganic film contains at least one substance selected from the group consisting of SiN, BN, AlN, GaN, Cn, ZnS, AlF 3 , MgF 2 , CaF 2 , CeF 2 , GdF 2 , LaF 2 , NdF 2 , LiF, NaF, YbF 3 and YF 3 , the inorganic film covering a first side face of the first layer, the first side face being a part of the inner surfaces of the openings, the inorganic film covering a second side face of the second layer, the second side face being another part of the inner surfaces of the openings, and the inorganic film covering a part of the second semiconductor layer located at a bottom of the openings.