Patent ID: 8648350

Claim:
A gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor light-emitting element, comprising: an n-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor layer; a p-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor layer; an active layer, which is located between the n-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor layer and the p-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor layer; a p-type overflow suppressing layer, which is located between the p-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor layer and the active layer; and a p-type electrode, which is in contact with the p-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor layer, wherein the p-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor layer comprises a semiconductor layer that is inclined at an angle of 1° or more from an m-plane, and an angle formed between a normal line of a principal surface of the p-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor layer and a normal line of the m-plane is 1° or more and 5° or less, wherein the p-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor layer comprises a GaN layer, wherein the p-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor layer is in contact with the p-type overflow suppressing layer, wherein the p-type gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor layer includes a heavily doped region, which is doped with Mg at a concentration higher than 9.0×10 18 cm −3 , and other regions than the heavily doped region, wherein the heavily doped region is provided on the p-type electrode side to have a thickness of 10 nm or more and 100 nm or less, and wherein the other regions than the heavily doped region are doped with Mg at a concentration of 1.0×10 18 cm −3 or more and 9.0×10 18 cm −3 or less.