Nec Corporation

Chiaki Sasaoka

Akitaka Kimura

Atsushi Yamaguchi

Koichi Izumi

Kazuhisa Fukuda

A method of forming a partially etched nitride-based compound semiconductor crystal layer includes the following steps. A non-crystal layer of a nitride-based compound semiconductor is formed. At least a part of the non-crystal layer is then etched to form a partially etched non-crystal layer before the partially etched non-crystal layer is crystallized to form a partially etched nitride-based compound semiconductor crystal layer.

Group-III nitride semiconductor device

The present invention provides a semiconductor laser excellent in the current injection efficiency. In an inner stripe type semiconductor laser according to the present invention, a p type cladding layerhas a superlattice structure composed of GaN layers and AlGaN layers, which are alternately layered on each other. The p type cladding layerhas a portion of high dislocation density and a portion of low dislocation density. That is, the dislocation density is relatively low in a region directly above an opening of the current-confining region, whereas the dislocation density is relatively high in a region directly above a current-confining region

Group III nitride semiconductor optical device

Method for forming group-III nitride semiconductor layer and group-III nitride semiconductor device

A MOVPE method is provided that makes it possible to grow a high-quality nitride crystal of a group III element. The method comprises the steps (a) to (d). In the step (a), an organometallic compound in a gas phase is supplied to a reaction chamber as a group III component material by a carrier gas. In the step (b), a nitrogen compound in a gas phase is supplied to the chamber as a group V component material by the carrier gas. In the step (c), a hydrocarbon in a gas phase is supplied to the chamber by the carrier gas. In the step (d), the organometallic compound and the nitrogen compound are reacted with each other in a atmosphere containing the hydrocarbon in the chamber to grow a nitride crystal of a group III element on a crystalline substrate. As the hydrocarbon, any hydrocarbon containing at least one carbon-to-carbon (i.e., C&mdash;C) bond in its molecule (i.e., alkanes) may be used. Preferably, any hydrocarbon containing at least one double or triple carbon-to-carbon bond (i.e., C&boxH;C or C&equiv;C) in its molecule (i.e., alkens or alkynes) is additionally supplied to the chamber. A step of supplying a p- or n-type dopant material to the chamber may be added, in which the nitride crystal exhibits the p- or n-type conductivity.

Method of growing nitride crystal of group III element

A process for producing a semiconductor light-emitting device, which comprises forming, on a substrate by crystal growth, a gallium nitride type compound semiconductor layer having a crystal face (0,0,0,1) which can be utilized as the end surface of an optical waveguide or as a cavity mirror surface.

Fabrication of nitride semiconductor light-emitting device

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which includes a quartz substrate having a z-cut plane of (0001) plane on a surface, a GaN film is first deposited on the surface. Finally, the quartz substrate is removed from the GaN film. The removed GaN film is used as a real substrate for forming GaN based compound semiconductor layers thereon.

Growth of GaN layers on quartz substrates

A magnesium-doped semiconductor layer expressed by general formula Al.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x N (where 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.1) is formed on a substrate. Thereafter, on the semiconductor layer, a plurality of semiconductor layers (including an activation layer) expressed by general formula In.sub.x Al.sub.y Ga.sub.1-x-y N (where 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.1, 0.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.1, 0.ltoreq.x+y.ltoreq.1) are formed. The crystalline characteristics of semiconductor layers including a light emitting layer of a gallium nitride semiconductor light emitting device having a magnesium-doped gallium nitride semiconductor layer are good. Thus, in the case that the light emitting device is a laser device, it can be expected that the oscillating threshold value of the laser device becomes low. In the case that the light emitting device is a light emitting diode, it can be expected that the light emitting efficiency of the light emitting diode becomes high.

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Tokyo, Japan

Chiaki Sasaoka