LIGHT-EMITTING ELEMENT AND LIGHT-EMITTING ELEMENT ARRAY

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem which the condition of a structure of four layers of pnpn does not necessarily coincide with the condition that the luminous output is made largest because of the priority function of a thyristor in a light emitting thyristor array, and light emitted in the interior of the structure consisting of the four layers is affected by light absorbtion scattering until the light is emitted to the outside resulting in poor emission to the outside. SOLUTION: A light emitting element of a semiconductor structure consisting of six layers of pnpnpn is provided with electrodes respectively on the first p layer and the sixth n layer at both ends and the third p layer and the fourth n layer in the center. The pn layers are to carry on the function of a light- emitting diode and the four pnpn layers the function of a thyristor. A plurality of these elements are formed on a semiconductor substrate and are arrayed one-dimensionally and two-dimensionally to constitute a light emitting element.