Gallium nitride-based semiconductor element, optical device using the same, and image display apparatus using optical device

Abstract

A GaN-based semiconductor element which can suppress a leakage current generated during reverse bias application, an optical device using the same, and an image display apparatus using the optical device are provided. The GaN-based semiconductor element has a first GaN-based compound layer including an n-type conductive layer; a second GaN-based compound layer including a p-type conductive layer; and an active layer provided between the first GaN-based compound layer and the second GaN-based compound layer. In this GaN-based semiconductor element, the first GaN-based compound layer includes an underlayer having an n-type impurity concentration in the range of 3×10to 3×10/cm, and when a reverse bias of 5 V is applied, a leakage current density, which is the density of a current flowing per unit area of the active layer, is 2×10A/cmor less.