Claims
- 1. A compound semiconductor light emitting element comprising:a substrate; a first compound semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type formed on said substrate; a second compound semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type formed on said first compound semiconductor layer; a first electrode formed on said first compound semiconductor layer, said first electrode being isolated from said second compound semiconductor; a current spreading layer formed on said second compound semiconductor layer; a second electrode formed on said second compound semiconductor layer and on a portion of said current spreading layer, at least a portion of said second electrode overlying at least a portion of a junction between said first and second compound semiconductor layers; and a block having high electrical resistance formed under said second electrode.
- 2. A compound semiconductor light emitting element comprising:a substrate; a first compound semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type formed on said substrate; a second compound semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type formed on said first compound semiconductor layer; a first electrode formed on said first compound semiconductor layer, said first electrode being isolated from said second compound semiconductor; a current spreading layer formed on said second compound semiconductor layer; a block formed on said second compound semiconductor layer; and a second electrode formed on at least a portion of said block and on at least a portion of said current spreading layer, at least a portion of said second electrode overlying at least a portion of a junction between said first and second compound semiconductor layers.
- 3. A compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 2, wherein said first and said second compound semiconductor layers are InxGayAlzN(x+y+z=1, 0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1, 0≦z≦1) layers.
- 4. A compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 2, wherein said current spreading layer has an ohmic contact with said second compound semiconductor layer.
- 5. A compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 2, wherein said current spreading layer comprises an agent layer which has an ohmic contact with said second compound semiconductor layer.
- 6. A compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 5, wherein said agent layer comprises a plurality of island-shaped portions formed on said second compound semiconductor layer.
- 7. A compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 5, wherein said agent layer is a metal layer.
- 8. A compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 2, wherein said current spreading layer comprises Indium Tin Oxide (ITO).
- 9. A compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 2, wherein said block is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of SiO2, SiNx, Al2O3, TiO2, ZrO2, Ta2O5, HfO2, and polyimide.
- 10. A compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 2, wherein said current spreading layer comprises a first agent layer which has an ohmic contact with the second compound semiconductor layer and a second agent layer which has an ohmic contact with said first electrode.
- 11. A compound semiconductor light emitting element comprising:a substrate; a first compound semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type formed on said substrate; a second compound semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type formed on said first compound semiconductor layer; a first electrode formed on said first compound semiconductor layer, said first electrode being isolated from said second compound semiconductor; a current spreading layer formed on said second compound semiconductor layer; a block formed on said second compound semiconductor layer, said block sharing an area on said second compound semiconductor layer with said current spreading layer; a second electrode formed on at least a portion of said block and on at least a portion of said current spreading layer, at least a portion of said second electrode overlying at least a portion of a junction between said first and second compound semiconductor layers; and a lead frame having ends connected to said first electrode and to said second electrode, respectively.
- 12. A compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 11, further comprising:a protective layer formed on said current spreading layer.
- 13. A compound semiconductor light emitting element comprising:a conductive substrate; a first electrode formed on a first surface of said substrate; a first buffer layer of a first conductivity type compound semiconductor formed on a second surface of said substrate which is an opposite surface to the first surface of said substrate; a first cladding layer of the first conductivity type compound semiconductor formed on said first buffer layer; an active layer formed on said first cladding layer; a second cladding layer of a second conductivity type compound semiconductor layer formed on said active layer, wherein said active layer is formed at a junction between said first cladding layer and said second cladding layer; a contact layer of a second conductivity type compound semiconductor layer formed on said second cladding layer; a current spreading layer formed on said contact layer; a block formed on said contact layer, said block overlying at least a portion of said active layer; and a second electrode formed on at least a portion of said block and on a portion of said current spreading layer, at least a portion of said second electrode overlying at least a portion of said active layer, wherein, during operation, light is emitted from at least one side of said active layer.
- 14. A compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 13, wherein said first buffer layer and said contact layer are AlxGa(1−x)As(0≦x≦1) layers, and said first cladding layer, said active layer and said second cladding layer are (AlxGa(1−x))yIn(1−y)P(0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1)layers.
- 15. A compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 13, wherein said block is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of the first conductivity type compound semiconductor, SiO2, SiNx, Al2O3, TiO2, ZrO2, Ta2O5, HfO2 and polyimide.
- 16. A compound semiconductor light emitting element according to claim 15, wherein said first conductivity type compound semiconductor is the first conductivity type (AlxGa(1−x))yIn(1−y)P(0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1) or AlxGa(1−x)As(0≦x≦1).
- 17. A compound semiconductor light emitting element comprising:a light emitting region formed by a pn-junction between a first compound semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type and a second compound semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type; a first electrode connected to said first compound semiconductor layer and isolated from said second compound semiconductor layer; a current spreading layer formed on said second compound semiconductor layer; a high resistance region formed in a portion of said second compound semiconductor layer; and a second electrode substantially covering said high resistance region and electrically connected to said current spreading layer.
- 18. The element of claim 13, wherein said block is formed on an inner portion of an upper surface of said contact layer.
Priority Claims (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
8-142938 |
Jun 1996 |
JP |
|
8-328558 |
Dec 1996 |
JP |
|
Parent Case Info
This application is a divisional of copending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/871,401, filed Jun. 5, 1997, now U.S. pat. No. 5,977,566.
US Referenced Citations (6)