Non-single-cry stal semiconductor light emitting device

Claim 2

A non-single-crystal semiconductor light emitting device comprising: a first electrode; a first conductivity type non-single-crystal semiconductor layer formed on the first electrode and making ohmic contact therewith; an intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor region formed on the first conductivity type non-single-crystal semiconductor layer; a second conductivity type non-single-crystal semiconductor layer formed on the intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor region; and a second electrode formed on the second conductivity type non-single-crystal semiconductor layer and making ohmic contact therewith; wherein the intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor region is formed by at least one intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor layer, the intrinsic non-single crystal layer being formed of silicon and doped with hydrogen or fluorine to provide therein an (SiH 2 ) n or (SiF 2 ) n structure in which SiH 2 or SiF 2 structures, each having two hydrogen or fluorine atoms combined with two bonds of the one silicon atom, are linked as a chain, and to have an energy gap of 2.2 to 2.7 eV; and wherein either one of the first and second electrodes is light transparent.

Claim 3

A non-single-crystal semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor layer of the non-single-crystal semiconductor region is doped with hydrogen or fluorine in an amount of more than 30 atom %.

Claim 4

A non-single-crystal semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the side surface of the non-single-crystal semiconductor region is covered with a protective insulating layer.

Claim 5

A non-single-crystal semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor layer of the non-single-crystal semiconductor region is in contact with the first and second conductivity type non-single-crystal semiconductor layers.

Claim 6

A non-single-crystal semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the other one of the first and second electrode is reflective.

Claim 7

A non-single-crystal semiconductor light emitting device comprising: a first electrode; a first conductivity type non-single-crystal semiconductor layer formed on the first electrode and making ohmic contact therewith; an intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor region formed on the first conductivity type non-single-crystal semiconductor layer; a second conductivity type non-single-crystal semiconductor layer formed on the intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor region; and a second electrode formed on the second conductivity type non-single-crystal semiconductor layer and making ohmic contact therewith; wherein the intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor region is formed by a non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member made up of a plurality m (where m≧3) of intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor layers M 1 , M 2 , . . . M m sequentially laminate in this order, wherein the even-numbered intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor layer M i (where i=2, 4, . . . (m-1)) of the non-single-crystal semiconductor region is formed of silicon and doped with hydrogen or fluorine to provide therein an (SiH 2 ) n or (SiF 2 ) n structure in which SiH 2 or SiF 2 structures, each having two hydrogen or fluorine atoms combined with two bonds of the one silicon atom, are linked as a chain, and to have an energy gap Egi of 2.2 to 2.7 eV; wherein the odd-numbered intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor layer M j (where j=1, 3. . . m) of the non-single-crystal semiconductor region is formed of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxide and has energy gap Egj of 2.3 to 3.5 eV; wherein the energy gaps Eg 1 , Eg 2 , . . . and Eg m of the intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor layers M 1 , M 2 , . . . and M m bear such relationships as Eg 1 >Eg 2 <Eg 3 , Eg 3 >Eg 4 <Eg 5 , . . . Eg.sub.(m-2) >Eg.sub.(m-1) <Eg m ; and wherein either one of the first and second electrodes is light transparent.

Claim 8

A non-single-crystal semiconductor light emitting device comprising: a first electrode; a first conductivity type non-single-crystal semiconductor layer formed on the first electrode and making ohmic contact therewith; an intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor region formed on the first conductivity type non-single-crystal semiconductor layer; a second conductivity type non-single-crystal semiconductor layer formed on the intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor region; and a second electrode formed on the second conductivity type non-single-crystal semiconductor layer and making ohmic contact therewith; wherein the intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor region is formed by a non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member made up of a plurality m (where m≧3) of intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor layers M 1 , M 2 , . . . M m sequentially laminate in this order, wherein the even-numbered intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor layer M i (where i=2, 4, . . . (m-1)) of the non-single-crystal semiconductor region is formed of silicon and doped with hydrogen or fluorine to provide therein an (SiH 2 ) n or (SiF 2 ) n structure in which SiH 2 or SiF 2 structures, each having two hydrogen or fluorine atoms combined with two bonds of the one silicon atom, are linked as a chain, and to have an energy gap Egi of 2.2 to 2.7 eV; wherein the odd-numbered intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor layer M j (where j=1, 3. . . m) of the non-single-crystal semiconductor region is formed of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxide and has energy gap Egj of 2.3 to 3.5 eV; wherein the energy gaps Eg 1 , Eg 2 , . . . and Eg m of the intrinsic non-single-crystal semiconductor layers M 1 , M 2 , . . . and M m bear such relationships as Eg 1 >Eg 2 <Eg 3 , Eg 3 >Eg 4 <Eg 5 , . . . Eg.sub.(m-2) >Eg.sub.(m-1) <Eg m ; and wherein either one of the first and second electrodes is light transparent.

Claim 9

A non-single crystal according to claim 6, wherein the intrinsic non-crystal layer Mi of the non-crystal region is doped with hydrogen or fluorine in an amount of more than 30 atom %.

Claim 10

A non-single-crystal semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 6, wherein the side surface of the non-single-crystal semiconductor region is covered with a protective insulating layer.

Claim 11

A non-single-crystal semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 6, wherein the number m is three, and the non-single-crystal semiconductor layer M 3 is formed to extend over the side surface of the non-single-crystal semiconductor layer M 2 to protect it.

Claim 12

A non-single-crystal semiconductor light emitting device according to claim 6, wherein the other one of the first and second electrodes is reflective.