Patent ID: 7675072

Claim:
A light emitting diode, comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a light-emitting region including an active layer provided between a first conductivity type cladding layer formed over the semiconductor substrate and a second conductivity type cladding layer; a transparent conductive film made of a metal oxide and located over the light-emitting region; a first electrode formed on the upper side of the transparent conductive film; a second electrode formed on the whole or a part of the bottom of the semiconductor substrate; a direct transition AlGaAs layer made of Al x Ga 1-x As (0.01≦x≦0.43) as a preventing layer for preventing exfoliation of the transparent conductive film, the AlGaAs layer being located between the second conductivity type cladding layer and the transparent conductive film, the AlGaAs layer being added with at least one of Zn, Be and Mg, and C, the AlGaAs layer having a carrier concentration of 1×10 19 cm −3 or higher; an undoped layer or a low carrier concentration layer formed between the active layer and the second conductivity type cladding layer, wherein the undoped layer or the low carrier concentration layer is a layer other than the active layer and comprises a bandgap greater than the active layer; a second conductivity type contact layer formed between the second conductivity type cladding layer and the AlGaAs layer, the second conductivity type contact layer comprising at least two layers; and another undoped layer interposed between the at least two layers of the second conductivity type contact layer.