P-type electrode structure and a semiconductor light emitting element using the same structure

Claim 2

A p-type electrode structure comprising an n-type semiconductor layer and a metal layer sequentially laminated on a p-type semiconductor layer, wherein said n-type semiconductor layer has an energy level of a conduction band edge deeper than that of a valence band edge of said p-type semiconductor layer so that upon forming said electrode structure, said n-type semiconductor layer and said p-type semiconductor layer form a p-n junction without a depletion layer, and said p-type electrode structure is operated by injecting current from said metal layer through said n-type semiconductor layer to said p-type semiconductor layer by applying a positive potential to said metal layer.

Claim 3

The p-type electrode structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said n-type semiconductor layer is formed of a metal oxide.

Claim 4

The p-type electrode structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein said p-type semiconductor layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors, group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors, and group IV wide gap compound semiconductors.

Claim 5

The p-type electrode structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein said p-type semiconductor layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors, group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors, and group IV wide gap compound semiconductors.

Claim 6

The p-type electrode structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein said metal oxide is ZnO or BeO.

Claim 7

The p-type electrode structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein said p-type semiconductor layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors, group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors, and group IV wide gap compound semiconductors.

Claim 8

The p-type electrode structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein said p-type semiconductor layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors, group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors, and group IV wide gap compound semiconductors.

Claim 9

The p-type electrode structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said p-type semiconductor layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors, group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors, and group IV wide gap compound semiconductors.

Claim 10

The p-type electrode structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein said p-type semiconductor layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors, group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors, and group IV wide gap compound semiconductors.

Claim 11

A semiconductor light emitting element comprising: a p-type electrode structure comprising an n-type semiconductor layer and a metal layer sequentially laminated on a p-type semiconductor layer, wherein said n-type semiconductor layer has an energy level of a conduction band edge deeper than that of a valence band edge of said p-type semiconductor layer so that upon forming said electrode structure, said n-type semiconductor layer and said p-type semiconductor layer form a p-n junction without a depletion layer, and said p-type electrode structure is operated by injecting current from said metal layer through said n-type semiconductor layer to said p-type semiconductor layer by applying a positive potential to said metal layer.

Claim 12

A semiconductor light emitting element comprising: a p-type electrode structure comprising an n-type semiconductor layer and a metal layer sequentially laminated on a p-type semiconductor layer, wherein said n-type semiconductor layer has an energy level of a conduction band edge deeper than that of a valence band edge of said p-type semiconductor layer so that upon forming said electrode structure, said n-type semiconductor layer and said p-type semiconductor layer form a p-n junction without a depletion layer, and said p-type electrode structure is operated by injecting current from said metal layer through said n-type semiconductor layer to said p-type semiconductor layer by applying a positive potential to said metal layer.

Claim 13

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 10, wherein said semiconductor light emitting element is a semiconductor laser having a p-n junction or a light emitting diode having a p-n junction.

Claim 14

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 11, wherein said semiconductor laser or said light emitting diode comprises an active layer, an n-type clad layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, an n-type semiconductor layer and the metal layer, said p-type semiconductor layer, said n-type semiconductor layer and said metal layer being formed adjacent to said active layer, a band gap of said p-type semiconductor layer is larger than a band gap of said active layer, said p-type semiconductor layer is thin compared with wavelength of light emitted, energy level of a conduction band edge of said n-type semiconductor layer is deeper than that of a valence band edge of said p-type semiconductor layer and refractive index of said n-type semiconductor layer is smaller than that of said active layer, so that light is confined in said active layer by said n-type clad layer and said n-type semiconductor layer, said semiconductor laser or light emitting diode being operated by injecting holes from said metal layer through said n-type semiconductor layer and said p-type semiconductor layer to said active layer by applying a positive potential to said metal layer.

Claim 15

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 12, wherein said n-type semiconductor layer is formed of a metal oxide.

Claim 16

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 13, wherein said metal oxide is ZnO or BeO.

Claim 17

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 14, wherein said p-type semiconductor layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors, group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors, and group IV wide gap compound semiconductors.

Claim 18

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 15, wherein said group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors include ZnSe, ZnSSe and MgSSe, said group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors include GaN, AlGaN, InGaN, InGaP and InAlP, and said group IV wide gap compound semiconductors include SiC and C.

Claim 19

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 13, wherein said p-type semiconductor layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors, group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors, and group IV wide gap compound semiconductors.

Claim 20

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 17, wherein said group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors include ZnSe, ZnSSe and MgSSe, said group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors include GaN, AlGaN, InGaN, InGaP and InAlP, and said group IV wide gap compound semiconductors include SiC and C.

Claim 21

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 11, wherein said n-type semiconductor layer is formed of a metal oxide.

Claim 22

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 19, wherein said metal oxide is ZnO or BeO.

Claim 23

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 20, wherein said p-type semiconductor layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors, group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors, and group IV wide gap compound semiconductors.

Claim 24

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 21, wherein said group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors include ZnSe, ZnSSe and MgSSe, said group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors include GaN, AlGaN, InGaN, InGaP and InAlP, and said group IV wide gap compound semiconductors include SiC and C.

Claim 25

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 19, wherein said p-type semiconductor layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors, group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors, and group IV wide gap compound semiconductors.

Claim 26

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 23, wherein said p-type semiconductor layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors, group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors, and group IV wide gap compound semiconductors.

Claim 27

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 10, wherein said semiconductor laser or said light emitting diode comprises an active layer, an n-type clad layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, an n-type semiconductor layer and the metal layer, said p-type semiconductor layer, said n-type semiconductor layer and said metal layer being formed adjacent to said active layer, a band gap of said p-type semiconductor layer is larger than a band gap of said active layer, said p-type semiconductor layer is thin compared with wavelength of light emitted, energy level of a conduction band edge of said n-type semiconductor layer is deeper than that of a valence band edge of said p-type semiconductor layer and refractive index of said n-type semiconductor layer is smaller than that of said active layer, so that light is confined in said active layer by said n-type clad layer and said n-type semiconductor layer, said semiconductor laser or light emitting diode being operated by injecting holes from said metal layer through said n-type semiconductor layer and said p-type semiconductor layer to said active layer by applying a positive potential to said metal layer.

Claim 28

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 25, wherein said n-type semiconductor layer is formed of a metal oxide.

Claim 29

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 26, wherein said metal oxide is ZnO or BeO.

Claim 30

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 27, wherein said p-type semiconductor layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors, group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors, and group IV wide gap compound semiconductors.

Claim 31

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 28, wherein said group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors include ZnSe, ZnSSe and MgSSe, said group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors include GaN, AlGaN, InGaN, InGaP and InAlP, and said group IV wide gap compound semiconductors include SiC and C.

Claim 32

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 26, wherein said p-type semiconductor layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors, group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors, and group IV wide gap compound semiconductors.

Claim 33

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 30, wherein said group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors include ZnSe, ZnSSe and MgSSe, said group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors include GaN, AlGaN, InGaN, InGaP and InAlP, and said group IV wide gap compound semiconductors include SiC and C.

Claim 34

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 10, wherein said n-type semiconductor layer is formed of a metal oxide.

Claim 35

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 32, wherein said metal oxide is ZnO or BeO.

Claim 36

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 33, wherein said p-type semiconductor layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors, group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors, and group IV wide gap compound semiconductors.

Claim 37

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 34, wherein said group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors include ZnSe, ZnSSe and MgSSe, said group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors include GaN, AlGaN, InGaN, InGaP and InAlP, and said group IV wide gap compound semiconductors include SiC and C.

Claim 38

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 32, wherein said p-type semiconductor layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors, group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors, and group IV wide gap compound semiconductors.

Claim 39

The semiconductor light emitting element as claimed in claim 36, wherein said p-type semiconductor layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of group II-VI wide gap compound semiconductors, group III-V wide gap compound semiconductors, and group IV wide gap compound semiconductors.