Planar technology for producing light-emitting devices

Claim 1

A method for producing a semiconductor device suitable for use as a light-emitting diode or laser diode comprising a. providing a transparent substrate capable of supporting single crystal nitride growth having disposed sequentially thereon: a first layer of an n-type doped first nitride compound, at least one additional layer which may be doped or undoped comprising a second nitride compound or a nitride alloy, and a final topmost layer of an undoped third nitride compound; b. applying an n-type dopant to a peripheral portion of the topmost layer by ion implantation under conditions such that the n-type dopant permeates through the topmost layer and at least a portion of the additional layer or thereby forming an implanted n-type region; and c. applying a p-type dopant to a central region of the top-most layer by ion implantation under conditions such that the p-type dopant permeates through the topmost layer thereby forming a p-type implanted region.

Claim 2

A method for producing a semiconductor device suitable for use as a light-emitting diode or laser diode comprising a. providing a transparent substrate capable of supporting single crystal nitride growth having disposed sequentially thereon: a first layer of an n-type doped first nitride compound, at least one additional layer which may be doped or undoped comprising a second nitride compound or a nitride alloy, and a final topmost layer of an undoped third nitride compound; b. applying an n-type dopant to a peripheral portion of the topmost layer by ion implantation under conditions such that the n-type dopant permeates through the topmost layer and at least a portion of the additional layer or thereby forming an implanted n-type region; and c. applying a p-type dopant to a central region of the top-most layer by ion implantation under conditions such that the p-type dopant permeates through the topmost layer thereby forming a p-type implanted region.

Claim 17

A method for producing a bright, high-yield green or blue LED comprising the steps of a. providing a sapphire substrate having disposed sequentially thereon: a first layer of n-type nitride selected from the group consisting of gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, indium nitride, thallium nitride, scandium nitride, yttrium nitride, lanthanum nitride, and any alloys, mixtures and combinations of these, at least one additional layer which may be doped or undoped comprising a nitride compound selected from the group consisting of gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, indium nitride, thallium nitride, scandium nitride, yttrium nitride, lanthanum nitride, and any alloys, mixtures and combinations of these, and a final topmost layer of undoped gallium nitride or an alloy of indium nitride and gallium nitride; b. producing a conducting channel which permeates from the topmost layer to the first layer by ion implantation of a donor selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, sulfur and oxygen to a peripheral region of the LED thereby forming an n-type implanted region in a ring or border pattern around the circumference of the LED; c. producing a p-type surface layer by ion implantation of an acceptor ion selected from the group consisting of beryllium, magnesium, calcium, carbon, and zinc to a central region of the LED thereby forming a p-type implanted region located within the n-type region; d. annealing the implanted device in flowing nitrogen gas at a temperature of at least about 1000° C.; e. disposing two metal contacts on the surfaces of the n-type and the p-type implanted regions thereby forming a reflective surface capable of reflecting light through the substrate; and f. bonding the device to a chip carrier.

Claim 18

A method for producing a bright, high-yield green or blue LED comprising the steps of a. providing a sapphire substrate having disposed sequentially thereon: a first layer of n-type nitride selected from the group consisting of gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, indium nitride, thallium nitride, scandium nitride, yttrium nitride, lanthanum nitride, and any alloys, mixtures and combinations of these, at least one additional layer which may be doped or undoped comprising a nitride compound selected from the group consisting of gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, indium nitride, thallium nitride, scandium nitride, yttrium nitride, lanthanum nitride, and any alloys, mixtures and combinations of these, and a final topmost layer of undoped gallium nitride or an alloy of indium nitride and gallium nitride; b. producing a conducting channel which permeates from the topmost layer to the first layer by ion implantation of a donor selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, sulfur and oxygen to a peripheral region of the LED thereby forming an n-type implanted region in a ring or border pattern around the circumference of the LED; c. producing a p-type surface layer by ion implantation of an acceptor ion selected from the group consisting of beryllium, magnesium, calcium, carbon, and zinc to a central region of the LED thereby forming a p-type implanted region located within the n-type region; d. annealing the implanted device in flowing nitrogen gas at a temperature of at least about 1000° C.; e. disposing two metal contacts on the surfaces of the n-type and the p-type implanted regions thereby forming a reflective surface capable of reflecting light through the substrate; and f. bonding the device to a chip carrier.

Claim 20

A method for producing a high intensity, high-yield, green, blue or ultraviolet laser diode comprising the steps of: a. providing a sapphire substrate having disposed thereon: a first layer of n-type nitride selected from the group consisting of gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, indium nitride, thallium nitride, scandium nitride, yttrium nitride, lanthanum nitride, and any alloys, mixtures and combinations of these, at least one additional layer which may be doped or undoped comprising a nitride compound selected from the group consisting of gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, indium nitride, thallium nitride, scandium nitride, yttrium nitride, lanthanum nitride, and any alloys, mixtures and combinations of these, and final topmost layer of undoped gallium nitride or an alloy of indium nitride and gallium nitride; b. producing a conducting channel which permeates from the topmost layer to the first layer by ion implantation of a donor selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, sulfur and oxygen to a peripheral region of the diode thereby forming an n-type implanted region, wherein the diode has a rectangular shape having long and narrow sides, and wherein the channel forms two parallel continuous bands along the long sides; c. producing a p-type surface layer by ion implantation of an acceptor ion selected from the group consisting of beryllium, magnesium, calcium, carbon, and zinc to a central region of the device thereby forming a p-type implanted region located centrally between the bands of the n-type regions; d. annealing the implanted device in flowing inert gas at a temperature of at least about 1000° C.; e. disposing two metal contacts on the surfaces of the n-type and p-type implanted regions thereby forming electrical contacts; f. applying dielectric mirrors at each narrow side of the rectangular diode; and g. bonding the device to a chip carrier.

Claim 21

A method for producing a high intensity, high-yield, green, blue or ultraviolet laser diode comprising the steps of: a. providing a sapphire substrate having disposed thereon: a first layer of n-type nitride selected from the group consisting of gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, indium nitride, thallium nitride, scandium nitride, yttrium nitride, lanthanum nitride, and any alloys, mixtures and combinations of these, at least one additional layer which may be doped or undoped comprising a nitride compound selected from the group consisting of gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, indium nitride, thallium nitride, scandium nitride, yttrium nitride, lanthanum nitride, and any alloys, mixtures and combinations of these, and final topmost layer of undoped gallium nitride or an alloy of indium nitride and gallium nitride; b. producing a conducting channel which permeates from the topmost layer to the first layer by ion implantation of a donor selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, sulfur and oxygen to a peripheral region of the diode thereby forming an n-type implanted region, wherein the diode has a rectangular shape having long and narrow sides, and wherein the channel forms two parallel continuous bands along the long sides; c. producing a p-type surface layer by ion implantation of an acceptor ion selected from the group consisting of beryllium, magnesium, calcium, carbon, and zinc to a central region of the device thereby forming a p-type implanted region located centrally between the bands of the n-type regions; d. annealing the implanted device in flowing inert gas at a temperature of at least about 1000° C.; e. disposing two metal contacts on the surfaces of the n-type and p-type implanted regions thereby forming electrical contacts; f. applying dielectric mirrors at each narrow side of the rectangular diode; and g. bonding the device to a chip carrier.