SEMICONDUCTOR LIGHT EMITTING ELEMENT AND ITS MANUFACTURE

摘要

PURPOSE:To obtain a highly efficient semiconductor light emitting element by forming a specific buffer layer on a nitrided substrate and a p-n junction structure of a GaxIn1-xN layer (0<=x<=1) on the buffer layer. CONSTITUTION:A sapphire substrate 1 is heat-treated at 1000 deg.C for 10 minutes in an NH2 atmosphere so as to cover the surface of the substrate 1 with a thin AlN film. After covering the substrate 1, the temperature of the substrate 1 is lowered to 950 deg.C and another AlN film 2 having a thickness of 0.5mum is allowed to grow on the substrate 1 as a buffer layer. Then the temperature of the substrate 1 is further lowered to 800 deg.C and a p-n junction of an n-type GaxIn1-xN layer 3 and p-type GaxIn1-xN layer 4 is formed on the surface of the buffer layer 2. Thereafter, the surface is etched with hot phosphoric acid after an etching mask of 500mum in diameter is formed on the surface. Finally, Al electrodes 5 and 6 are formed. In addition, an AlN/GaN strained super lattice layer or AlzGa1-zN layer (0<=z<=1) is formed as the AlN layer 2.