US3813587A — Light emitting diodes of the injection type

Claim 1

Independent Claim 195 words

A light emitting diode of the injection type comprising: a semiconductor body including a first semiconductor layer including a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor layer having a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, opposite said first conductivity type, forming a PN junction with said first region at the interface between said first and second layers, said first semiconductor region having a forbidden band width equal at most to the forbidden band width of said PN junction and said second semiconductor region having a forbidden band width greater than the forbidden band width of said PN junction; and first and second electrodes respectively connected to the surfaces of said first and second semiconductor layers; wherein the sum (SA + SC) of the areas SA of the boundary surface between said first region of said first semiconductor layer and said second region of said second semiconductor layer and the area SC of the surface of said second electrode contacting said second semiconductor layer is less than the difference between the total surface area of said second semiconductor layer and said sum (SA + SC) by a prescribed amount.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 195 words

A light emitting diode of the injection type comprising: a semiconductor body including a first semiconductor layer including a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor layer having a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, opposite said first conductivity type, forming a PN junction with said first region at the interface between said first and second layers, said first semiconductor region having a forbidden band width equal at most to the forbidden band width of said PN junction and said second semiconductor region having a forbidden band width greater than the forbidden band width of said PN junction; and first and second electrodes respectively connected to the surfaces of said first and second semiconductor layers; wherein the sum (SA + SC) of the areas SA of the boundary surface between said first region of said first semiconductor layer and said second region of said second semiconductor layer and the area SC of the surface of said second electrode contacting said second semiconductor layer is less than the difference between the total surface area of said second semiconductor layer and said sum (SA + SC) by a prescribed amount.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 14 words

A light emitting diode according to claim 1, wherein said prescribed amount is 1/10.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 56 words

A light emitting diode according to claim 2, wherein each of said first and second semiconductor layers is composed of a compound selected from the group consisting of GaAs1 xPx, Ga1 xAlx P and Ga1 xInxP, wherein x has a value within a range from 0 to 1, and varies within said range in said layers.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 102 words

A light emitting diode according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second semiconductor layers is composed of a compound selected from the group consisting of GaAs1 xPx, Ga1 xAlxP and Ga1 xInxP, wherein 0 < or = x < or = 1 and said first and second regions forming said PN junction at the interface therebetween are formed of a compound selected from the group consisting of GaAs1 xPx 0 < or = x < or = 0.45, Ga1 xAlxAs 0 < or = x < or = 0.31 and In1 xGaxP 0 < or = x < 0.8.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 40 words

A light emitting diode according to claim 1, wherein each of said first and second semiconductor layers is composed of GaAs1 xPx 0 < x < 1, the forbidden band width in said layers depending upon the value of x.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 38 words

A light emitting diode according to claim 5, wherein said second layer includes a GaP crystal region extending from said second region in a direction orthogonal to said PN junction to a thickness greater than 50 Mu .

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 36 words

A light emitting diode according to claim 6, wherein said first and second regions forming said PN junction at the interface therebetween are composed of GaAs1 xPx 0 < or = x < or = 0.45.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 193 words

A light emitting diode of the injection type comprising: a GaP substrate of N-type conductivity; an epitaxial crystal layer of GaAs1 xPx, 0 < x < 1 having N-type conductivity disposed on said substrate with the value of x decreasing with an increase in the distance within said layer from the surface of said substrate on which said layer is disposed and having a mesa-shaped portion opposite the surface of said substrate; a P-type diffusion region extending into the mesa-shaped portion of said epitaxial crystal layer from the surface thereof opposite the surface disposed on said substrate to that position within said epitaxial crystal layer where the value of x is said epitaxial crystal layer of GaAs1 xPx is within the range of 0 to 0.45, said P-type diffusion region forming a PN junction with said N-type crystal layer; and an electrode disposed on said GaP substrate; wherein the sum of the area of said PN junction and the contact surface of said electrode on said GaP substrate is less than one-tenth of the surface area of the substrate and the N-type crystal less the area of the contact surface of said electrode.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 193 words

A light emitting diode of the injection type comprising: a GaP substrate of N-type conductivity; an epitaxial crystal layer of GaAs1 xPx, 0 < x < 1 having N-type conductivity disposed on said substrate with the value of x decreasing with an increase in the distance within said layer from the surface of said substrate on which said layer is disposed and having a mesa-shaped portion opposite the surface of said substrate; a P-type diffusion region extending into the mesa-shaped portion of said epitaxial crystal layer from the surface thereof opposite the surface disposed on said substrate to that position within said epitaxial crystal layer where the value of x is said epitaxial crystal layer of GaAs1 xPx is within the range of 0 to 0.45, said P-type diffusion region forming a PN junction with said N-type crystal layer; and an electrode disposed on said GaP substrate; wherein the sum of the area of said PN junction and the contact surface of said electrode on said GaP substrate is less than one-tenth of the surface area of the substrate and the N-type crystal less the area of the contact surface of said electrode.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 181 words

An injection type light emitting diode comprising: a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type having a first surface on one side thereof and a second surface on the opposite side thereof; a first semiconductor region of said first conductivity type disposed on said second surface of said semiconductor substrate; at least one second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type opposite side first conductivity type contacting said first semiconductor region at at least one surface portion thereof and thereby defining at least one PN junction therebetween; and a first electrode contacting said first surface of said semiconductor substrate; wherein the sum (SA + SC) of the total area SA of the interface between said first and said at least one second semiconductor region defining said at least one PN junction therebetween and the area SC of the contact surface of said first electrode with said first surface of said semiconductor substrate is less than the difference between the total outer surface area of said second semiconductor region and said substrate and said sum (SA + SC) by a prescribed amount.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 181 words

An injection type light emitting diode comprising: a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type having a first surface on one side thereof and a second surface on the opposite side thereof; a first semiconductor region of said first conductivity type disposed on said second surface of said semiconductor substrate; at least one second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type opposite side first conductivity type contacting said first semiconductor region at at least one surface portion thereof and thereby defining at least one PN junction therebetween; and a first electrode contacting said first surface of said semiconductor substrate; wherein the sum (SA + SC) of the total area SA of the interface between said first and said at least one second semiconductor region defining said at least one PN junction therebetween and the area SC of the contact surface of said first electrode with said first surface of said semiconductor substrate is less than the difference between the total outer surface area of said second semiconductor region and said substrate and said sum (SA + SC) by a prescribed amount.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 16 words

An injection type light emitting diode according to claim 9, wherein said prescribed amount is one-tenth.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 25 words

An injection type light emitting diode according to claim 10, wherein said at least one second semiconductor region comprises a plurality of second semiconductor regions.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 32 words

An injection type light emitting diode according to claim 10, wherein said first semiconductor region has at least one mesa-shaped portion on which said at least one second semiconductor region is disposed.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 28 words

An injection type light emitting diode according to claim 10, further including at least one second electrode disposed in contact with said at least one second semiconductor region.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 58 words

An injection type light emitting diode according to claim 10, wherein said semiconductor substrate is an N-type GaP substrate and each of said first and second semiconductor regions is an N-type semiconductor crystal of a material selected from the group consisting of GaAs1 xPx, Ga1 xAlxP and GaxInxP, where 0 < or = x < or = 1.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 26 words

An injection type light emitting diode according to claim 14, wherein said material is GaAs1 xPx, wherein 0.4 < or = x < or = 1.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 40 words

An injection type light emitting diode according to claim 15, wherein said at least one second semiconductor region comprises a plurality of second semiconductor regions, each respectively formed on a corresponding plurality of mesa-shaped portions of said first semiconductor region.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-05-27	1977-11-26	1978-05-28	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-05-27	1981-11-26	1982-05-28	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-05-27	1985-11-26	1986-05-28	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Light emitting diodes of the injection type

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