Semiconductor light-emitting device

Abstract

The present invention provides a semiconductor light-emitting device which exhibits small threshold current, high differential efficiency and good characteristics, by reducing electrons that overflow an electron barrier for trapping the electrons in an active layer. Of barrier layers that configure an active layer 20, a final barrier layer 1, which is a barrier layer closest to a p side, is made smaller in band gap than a barrier layer 2. Thus, as compared with a case where the barrier layer 1 is made of a material having the same band gap as that of the barrier layer 2, a band discontinuous amount (electron barrier) with an electron blocking layer 3 can be made larger. As a result, it is possible to reduce electrons that overflow the electron barrier.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a semiconductor light-emitting device using a nitride-based III-V group compound semiconductor.

2. Description of the Background Art

Recently, as a semiconductor laser which enables light emission in a range from a blue region to an ultraviolet region, which is required for making the density of an optical disc high, a nitride-based semiconductor laser using a nitride-based III-V group compound semiconductor has been intensively researched and developed, and has been already put in use.

In the nitride-based semiconductor laser reported so far, as its active layer structure, there has been frequently adopted a multiple quantum well structure that two or more well layers made of InGaN and three or more barrier layers made of InGaN having smaller In composition ratio than that of the above InGaN (usually about 0.02) are laminated alternately.

In the nitride-based III-V group compound semiconductor, a ratio of a band discontinuous amount of a conduction band and a band discontinuous amount of a valence band when hetero junction is formed is about 2.5:7.5, and it is known that the band discontinuous amount of conduction band is very small (see Applied Physics Letter vol. 70 (1997), p. 2577). Accordingly, electrons are likely to overflow from the well layer beyond the barrier layer, which often leads to problems such as increase in threshold current, and deterioration of differential efficiency and temperature characteristic.

In order to solve these problems, it may be considered to increase the band discontinuous amount of the conduction band by widening the band gap of the barrier layer as much as possible. For this purpose, InGaN having smaller In composition ratio may be used as the barrier layer, or a material (substance) having larger band gap than that of InGaN may be used, such as GaN, AlGaN or InAlGaN.

When the band gap of the barrier layer is widened, the band discontinuous amount of the valence band is increased. However, as barrier layer, when InGaN having smallest In composition ratio is used or when GaN or AlGaN is used, these materials are smaller in lattice constant at wider band gap, and are exposed to greater tensile distortion. According to the band properties of semiconductor receiving this distortion, the band discontinuous amount of the valence band is not increased so much as compared with increase of the band discontinuous amount of the conduction band.

As a result, it is considered that the problem of overflow of electrons can be solved without causing a problem of difficulty in uniform injection of holes in the wells of two layers or more.

The conventional art related to the present invention is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 07-170022 (1995).

However, the present inventor has confirmed by simulation that a new problem arises when a barrier layer is made of a material having larger band gap, electrons are likely to overflow beyond the electron blocking layer from a final barrier layer which is closest to the p-side. It is considered that this problem is caused due to the following reason: the barrier layer is made of a material having larger band gap, so that a band discontinuous amount (electron barrier) between the final barrier layer and the electron blocking layer becomes small.

Further, in the case of barrier layer of InGaN of smaller band gap than GaN or AlGaN, rate of electrons overflowing the electron barrier from the final barrier layer is not zero, which may lead to deterioration of threshold current of semiconductor light-emitting device, differential efficiency, and temperature characteristics.

Accordingly, omitting the final barrier layer, by bonding the well layer and electron blocking layer directly, it may be considered to reduce the overflowing electrons by increasing the height of electron barrier, than in the case of presence of final barrier layer.

However, a film forming temperature of an electron blocking layer is higher than that of a well layer by about 200° C. Therefore, if attempted to form an electron blocking layer directly on the well layer, after forming the well layer, the film forming temperature must be raised without protecting the surface of the well layer. In this process, crystallinity of the well layer surface deteriorates.

When a semiconductor light-emitting device is manufactured by using such a well layer deteriorated in crystallinity, electrons trapped in the well layer do not contribute to laser oscillation, and threshold current or differential efficiency may be worsened.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor light-emitting device which exhibits small threshold current, high differential efficiency and good characteristics, by reducing electrons that overflow an electron barrier for trapping the electrons in an active layer.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor light-emitting device has a structure that an active layer is interposed between an n-type clad layer and a p-type clad layer and uses a nitride-based III-V group compound semiconductor.

The active layer has a plurality of barrier layers, and a well layer formed so as to be interposed between the barrier layers.

Of the plurality of barrier layers, a final barrier layer closest to the p-type clad layer side has a smaller band gap than that a barrier layer other than the final barrier layer.

According to the present invention, the band gap of the final barrier layer is made smaller than the band gap of the barrier layer other than the final barrier layer. Accordingly, an electron barrier formed between the barrier layer and the p-type clad layer is set larger than a case where the barrier layer other than final barrier layer is used as a final barrier layer. As a result, electrons overflowing the electron barrier from the active layer can be reduced.

Besides, since the final barrier layer is formed on the well layer, it is free from problem of deterioration in crystallinity of the well layer.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor light-emitting device has a structure that an active layer is interposed between an n-type clad layer and a p-type clad layer and uses a nitride-based III-V group compound semiconductor.

The active layer has a plurality of barrier layers, and a well layer formed alternately to the barrier layers.

The semiconductor light-emitting device includes a first layer which is provided between the plurality of barrier layers and the p-type clad layer and has a band gap smaller than those of the plurality of barrier layers and larger than that of the well layer.

According to the present invention, the band gap of the first layer is smaller than those of the plurality of barrier layers. As a result, as compared with the electron barrier formed between the barrier layer and the p-type clad layer, the electron barrier formed between the first layer and the p-type clad layer can be formed larger; therefore, electrons overflowing the electron barrier from the active layer can be reduced.

These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a nitride-based semiconductor laser according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a partial active layer of the nitride-based semiconductor laser according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a band diagram of the nitride-based semiconductor laser according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a semiconductor light-emitting device used in simulation according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 shows simulation results of optical an output-current characteristic in the nitride-based semiconductor laser according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 shows simulation results of an electron overflow rate in the nitride-based semiconductor laser according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a band diagram of a nitride-based semiconductor laser according to a second embodiment; and

FIG. 8 is a band diagram of a nitride-based semiconductor laser according to a third embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a nitride-based semiconductor laser (semiconductor light-emitting device) according to a first embodiment. This nitride-based semiconductor laser has a ridge structure and an SCH structure.

As shown in FIG. 1, the nitride-based semiconductor laser according to this embodiment has an n-type GaN buffer layer 5 formed on a Ga surface which is a main surface of a GaN substrate 4. This layer is formed for the purpose of reducing surface undulations on the GaN substrate 4 and laminating the upper layers flatly as much as possible.

On the n-type GaN buffer layer 5, an n-type AlGaN clad layer (n-type clad layer) 6, an n-type GaN optical guide layer 7 as an n-side guide layer, an active layer 20, a p-type AlGaN electron blocking layer 3 (electron blocking layer, blocking layer), a p-type GaN optical guide layer 9 as a p-side guide layer, a p-type AlGaN clad layer (p-type clad layer) 10, and a p-type GaN contact layer (p-type contact layer) 11 are laminated sequentially.

Herein, the p-type GaN optical guide layer 9 is selected so as to make a band gap larger than those of a final barrier layer 1 and a barrier layer 2 which will be described later. The p-type GaN optical guide layer 9 is provided in contact with the active layer 20 side of the p-type clad layer 10.

The n-type GaN buffer layer 5 has a thickness of, for example, 1 μm, and silicon (Si) doped as n-type impurity. The n-type AlGaN clad layer 6 has a thickness of, for example, 1 μm, Si doped as n-type impurity, and an Al composition ratio of, for example, 0.07.

The active layer 20 includes a plurality of barrier layers, and a plurality of well layers formed so as to be interposed between the plurality of barrier layers, and constitute a multiple quantum well structure. Of the plurality of barrier layers, the barrier layer which is closest to the p-type clad layer 10 side corresponds to the final barrier layer 1.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a partial active layer 8 configuring the active layer 20. The partial active layer 8 has a configuration in that a barrier layer 2 made of In_xGa_1-xN (x=0.02) (barrier layer other than the final barrier layer 1), and a well layer 18 made of In_yGa_1-yN (y=0.14) are laminated alternately. A thickness of the barrier layer 2 is, for example, 7 nm, and a thickness of the well layer 18 is, for example, 3.5 nm.

The final barrier layer 1 is formed of undoped In_zGa_1-zN having a thickness of 20 nm. An In composition ratio z is, for example, 0.04. The In composition ratio z of final barrier layer 1 is larger than the In composition ratio x (=0.02) of the other barrier layer 2, and the band gap is smaller than the band gap of the barrier layer 2.

Hence, the In composition ratios x, y, z satisfy the relation of 0<x<z<y<1. Also the In composition ratios x, y, z satisfy the relation of (y−z)>(z−x).

The final barrier layer 1 is selected to be different in thickness and large in thickness of the barrier layer 2 and the well layer 18.

In this example of this embodiment, the number of wells of the active layer 20 is three.

The p-type AlGaN electron blocking layer 3 has a thickness of, for example, 10 nm, and an In composition ratio of, for example, 0.18. The p-type GaN optical guide layer 9 has a thickness of, for example, 100 nm. The p-type AlGaN clad layer 10 has a thickness of, for example, 400 nm, Mg doped as p-type impurity, and an Al composition ratio of, for example, 0.07. The p-type GaN contact layer 11 has a thickness of, for example, 100 nm, and Mg doped as p-type impurity.

Ridges 12 are formed in the p-type AlGaN clad layer 10 and the p-type contact layer 11 by etching, for example, in a direction of (1-100). The ridge 12 has a width of, for example, 2.2 μm.

The ridge 12 is formed on the GaN substrate 4 at a position corresponding to a low defect region located between high dislocation regions of several microns to tens of microns in width formed in a stripe. To protect the surface or insulate electrically at the side or lateral bottom side of the ridge 12, an insulating film 14 such as an SiO₂ film having a thickness of, for example, 200 nm is formed so as to cover the ridge 12.

In the insulating film 14, the portion formed on the ridge 12 has an opening 15. By this opening 15, electrical contact between the p-type electrode 16 and the p-type contact layer 11 is established.

The p-type electrode 16 has a structure, for example, that Pd and Au films are sequentially laminated. On the N surface at the opposite side of the Ga surface, that is, the main surface of the GaN substrate 4, an n-type electrode 17 is formed. The n-type electrode 17 has a structure that, for example, Ti and Au films are sequentially laminated.

FIG. 3 is a band diagram in the vicinity of the active layer 20 of the nitride-based semiconductor laser according to this embodiment. The band diagram in FIG. 3 indicates same reference numerals as the structure, at the position corresponding to the composition of the nitride-based semiconductor laser according to this embodiment. It is clear from FIG. 3 that the band discontinuous amount between the final barrier layer 1 and the electron blocking layer 3 is larger than the band discontinuous amount between the barrier layer 2 and the electron blocking layer 3.

In FIG. 3, the barrier layers 1 and 2 are located adjacent to and have larger band gaps than the well layers 18. Of those barrier layers, the final barrier layer 1 is the one that is closest to the p-side. In the first preferred embodiment, the final barrier layer 1 is made to have a smaller band gap than the barrier layers 2 other than the final barrier layer 1. This final barrier layer 1 may be configured of a plurality of layers 13 and 19 having larger band gaps than the well layers 18, as shown in FIG. 7 which will be described later in a second preferred embodiment.

In FIG. 3, as the final barrier layer 1, a layer which has a larger band gap than the well layer 18 closest to the p-side is provided between and in contact with the well layer 18 closest to the p-side and the electron blocking layer 3. The band gap of this final barrier layer 1 is smaller than that of the barrier layers 2 other than the final barrier layer 1.

If there is no electron blocking layer 3 provided, a final barrier layer whose band gap is larger than that of the well layers 18 and smaller than that of the barrier layers 2 may be provided between the well layer 18 closest to the p-side and an optical waveguide layer. Or, if there is no electron blocking layer 3 and no optical waveguide layer provided, a final barrier layer whose band gap is larger than that of the well layers 18 and smaller than that of the barrier layers 2 may be provided between the well layer 18 closest to the p-side and a clad layer 10.

A manufacturing method of the semiconductor light-emitting device according to this embodiment is explained.

At first, the surface of the GaN substrate 4 is cleaned preliminarily by thermal cleaning or the like, and the n-type GaN buffer layer 5 is grown on the surface at a growth temperature of, for example, 1000° C. by a metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) method.

Thereafter, by the same MOCVD method, the n-type AlGaN clad layer 6, the n-type GaN optical guide layer 7, the partial active layer 8 having an undoped In_xGa_1-xN/In_yGa_1-yN multiple quantum well structure, the final barrier layer 1 made of undoped InGaN, the p-type AlGaN electron blocking layer 3, the p-type GaN optical guide layer 9, the p-type AlGaN clad layer 10, and the p-type GaN clad layer 11 are laminated sequentially.

Herein; growth temperatures of these layers are, for example, 1000° C. for the n-type AlGaN clad layer 6 and the n-type GaN optical guide layer 7, 740° C. from the partial active layer 8 to the undoped InGaN final barrier layer 1, and 1000° C. from the p-type AlGaN electron blocking layer 3 to the p-type GaN contact layer 11.

Resist is applied on the whole surface of the wafer finishing the crystal growth process, and a resist pattern (not shown) having a predetermined shape corresponding to the shape of the ridge 12 is formed by lithography. Using this resist pattern as a mask, the wafer is etched into the layer of the p-type AlGaN clad layer 10 by, for example, an RIE (reactive ion etching) method. By this etching, the ridge 12 is manufactured as a optical waveguide structure. As RIE etching gas, for example, chlorine gas is used.

Next, without removing the resist pattern used as mask, the SiO₂ film 14 having a thickness of, for example, 0.2 μm is formed on the entire surface of the substrate by a CVD method, a vacuum deposition method, or a sputtering method. Then, the resist pattern is removed, and the SiO₂ film on the ridge 12 is removed at the same time. After this lift-off, the opening 15 is formed on the ridge 12.

Next, on the entire surface of substrate, Pt and Au films are formed sequentially by, for example, a vacuum deposition method. In succession, after applying the resist, a resist pattern is formed for forming the p-type electrode 16 by lithography. Using the resist pattern as a mask, the p-type electrode 16 is formed by wet etching or dry etching.

Thereafter, on the front side of reverse surface of substrate, Ti and Al films are formed sequentially by a vacuum deposition method. Alloy is formed for ohmic contact with the n-type electrode 17.

This substrate is processed into a bar shape by cleavage or the like, and both resonator ends are formed, and the resonator ends are coated, and the bar is formed into a chip by cleavage. Finally, the nitride-based semiconductor laser shown in FIG. 1 is manufactured.

The following is the explanation of simulation results about characteristics of the nitride-based semiconductor laser according to this embodiment.

One example of the semiconductor laser simulator used herein is a LASTIP (Laser Technology Integrated Program) commercially available from Crosslight Software Inc., which is a simulator operating on the principles of Maxwell equation, Poisson equation, rate equation, and the like.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a nitride-based semiconductor laser used in simulation. As shown in FIG. 4, on the GaN substrate 4, the GaN buffer layer 5, the n-type AlGaN clad layer 6, and the n-type GaN optical guide 7 having a thickness of 100 nm are formed sequentially.

On the n-type GaN optical guide layer 7, a partial active layer 8 having a multiple quantum well structure consisting of three well layers of 3.5 nm in thickness and a barrier layer of 7.0 nm in thickness is formed.

Further, the final barrier layer 1 having a thickness of 20 nm, the p-type AlGaN electron blocking layer 3 having a thickness of 20 nm and an Al composition ratio of 0.20, the p-type GaN optical guide layer 9 having a thickness of 100 nm, the p-type AlGaN clad layer 10 having a thickness of 400 nm, and the p-type GaN contact layer 11 having a thickness of 100 nm are sequentially laminated. The ridge 12 has a width of 2.2 μm.

In the nitride-based semiconductor laser having the aforementioned structure, the performance is simulated in the following conditions, using InGaN having an In composition ratio of 0.02 as a material of the final barrier layer 1 and the all barrier layers 2, using GaN having a larger band gap than that of InGaN having an In composition ratio of 0.02, and using InGaN having an In composition ratio of 0.02 only as the final barrier layer 1 while using GaN as all barrier layers 2.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show calculation results by simulation in the above conditions. FIG. 5 shows the rate of electrons becoming reactive current by overflow of injected electrons from the electron blocking layer 3. FIG. 6 shows optical output-current characteristic.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, “a” shows the case of using InGaN having an In composition ratio of 0.02 as a material of the final barrier layer 1 and the all barrier layers 2, “b” shows the case of using GaN as a material of the final barrier layer 1 and the all barrier layers 2, and “c” shows the case of using InGaN having an In composition ratio of 0.02 as a material of only the final barrier layer 1 while using GaN as a material of the all barrier layers 2.

As shown in “b” in FIG. 5, when a material of a wide band gap (GaN) is used in all of the final barrier 1 and barrier layers 2, the rate of overflow of electrons from the electron blocking layer 3 to the p-side is increased. As a result, as shown in “b” in FIG. 6, elevation of threshold current and drop of differential efficiency are observed.

However, as shown in “c” in FIG. 5, when a material having a smaller band gap than that of the barrier layers 2 (InGaN: In composition ratio 0.02) is used for the final barrier layer 1, the rate of overflow of electrons from the electron blocking layer 3 is considerably decreased. As a result, as shown in “c” in FIG. 6, threshold current is decreased, and differential efficiency is increased.

By using GaN having a large band gap for the barrier layers 2, electrons overflowing the barrier layers 2 from the well layer 18 can be decreased, and the differential efficiency is further improved as compared with the case “a”.

The simulation result suggests that the rate of overflow of electrons from the electron blocking layer 3 to the p-side is mostly determined by the band discontinuous amount of a conduction band between the final barrier layer 1 and the electron blocking layer 3. Accordingly, when the band gap of the final barrier layer 1 is further reduced, the rate of overflow of electrons from the electron blocking layer 3 can be further decreased.

As explained herein, in the semiconductor light-emitting device according to this embodiment, the band gap of the final barrier layer 1 is set to be smaller than the band gap of the barrier layers 2.

As compared with the case of using the same material as the barrier layers 2 in the final barrier layer 1, the band discontinuous amount (electron barrier) of a conduction band between the final barrier layer 1 and the electron blocking layer 3 is larger, and hence electrons overflowing the electron barrier can be suppressed.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, a material of the barrier layers 2 is InGaN or GaN, and a material of the final barrier layer 1 is InGaN. However, regardless of the material of the barrier layers 2, as far as the material of the final barrier layer 1 has a smaller band gap than the band gap of the barrier layers 2, it is possible to lower the overflow rate of electrons from the electron blocking layer 3.

In this embodiment, the layer at the p-side contacting with the final barrier layer 1 is AlGaN electron blocking layer 3, but the same effects are obtained by using the optical waveguide layer 9 or the p-type clad layer 10 made of AlGaN or GaN having a smaller Al composition ratio.

That is, the same effects are obtained in the nitride-based semiconductor laser of the structure not having the AlGaN electron blocking layer 3 or the optical waveguide layer 9.

The nitride-based semiconductor laser according to first embodiment has the final barrier layer 1 disposed in contact with the well layer 18.

Since the final barrier layer 1 is formed on the well layer 18, deterioration in crystallinity of the well layer 18 can be prevented.

A thickness of the final barrier layer 1 is different from and thicker than those of the barrier layers 2 and well layer 18, and the overflow rate of electrons from the electron blocking layer 3 can be further lowered.

Second Embodiment

A nitride-based semiconductor laser according to a second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, except that the final barrier layer 1 is formed of a plurality of partial final barrier layers 13, 19 (not shown in FIG. 1).

Herein, the partial final barrier layer 13 is called a first final barrier layer disposed at the n-type clad layer 6 side, and the partial final barrier layer 19 is called a second final barrier layer disposed at the p-type clad layer 6 side.

The partial final barrier layer 13 has a thickness of, for example, 10 nm, is made of InGaN having an In composition ratio of 0.02, and is formed on the partial active layer 8. On the partial final barrier layer 13, the partial final barrier layer 19 having a thickness of 10 nm and made of InGaN having an In composition ratio of 0.04 is formed.

Other configuration is same as in the nitride-based semiconductor laser according to the first embodiment, and duplicate explanation is omitted.

FIG. 7 is a band diagram in the vicinity of the active layer 20 of the nitride-based semiconductor laser according to this embodiment. The band diagram in FIG. 7 indicates same reference numerals as the structure, at the position corresponding to the configuration of nitride-based semiconductor laser of the embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 7, the invention according to this embodiment is increased in the band discontinuous amount in a conduction band between the partial final barrier layer 19 and the electron blocking layer 3.

That is, by setting the band gap of the partial final barrier layer 19 smaller than the band gap of the barrier layer 2 other than the final barrier layer 1, the band discontinuous amount in a conduction band between the partial final barrier layer 19 and the electron blocking layer 3 is increased.

A rate of electrons overflowing from electron blocking layer 3 to p-side is mostly determined by the band discontinuous amount in a conduction band between the partial final barrier layer 19 and the electron blocking layer 3.

Accordingly, as in the first embodiment, if a material having a large band gap is used for the barrier layers 2, electrons overflowing the electron blocking layer 3 can be suppressed.

In the semiconductor light-emitting device according to the second embodiment, the band gap of the partial final barrier layer 19 is smaller than the band gap of the partial final barrier layer 13 adjacent to the partial final barrier layer 19.

Accordingly, the band discontinuous amount in a conduction band between the partial final barrier layer 19 and the electron blocking layer 3 can be increased as compared with the case of bonding the partial final barrier layer 13 to the electron blocking layer 3.

As a result, electrons overflowing the electron blocking layer 3 can be suppressed.

In the semiconductor light-emitting device according to the second embodiment, a material of the partial final barrier layer 19 is InGaN, and a material of the partial final barrier layer 13 adjacent to the partial final barrier layer 19 is InGaN or GaN having a band gap larger than the band gap of the partial final barrier layer 19.

Accordingly, the band discontinuous amount in a conduction band between the partial final barrier layer 19 and the electron blocking layer 3 can be increased as compared with the case of bonding the partial final barrier layer 13 to the electron blocking layer 3.

As a result, electrons overflowing the electron blocking layer 3 can be suppressed.

The band gap of the partial final barrier layer 13 may be the same or almost same as the band gap of the barrier layer 2 other than the final barrier layer 1.

When the band gap of the partial final barrier layer 13 is the same or almost same as the band gap of the barrier layer 2, band shapes are almost same in all of the well layers 18, and quantum levels formed in the well layers 18 may be almost the same. As a result, the threshold current is decreased and differential efficiency is enhanced.

Third Embodiment

In a nitride-based semiconductor laser according to a third embodiment, the final barrier layer 1 approaches the electron blocking layer 3 from the side closer to the well layer 18, and is made of InGaN of which In composition ratio increases continuously from 0.02 to 0.04.

Other configuration is same as in the nitride-based semiconductor laser according to the first embodiment, and duplicate explanation is omitted.

FIG. 8 is a band diagram in the vicinity of the active layer 20 of the nitride-based semiconductor laser according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, the band gap of the final barrier layer 1 decreases continuously as approaching the electron blocking layer 3, and at the position contacting with the electron blocking layer 3, the band gap is smaller than the band gap of barrier layer 2.

A rate of electrons overflowing from electron blocking layer 3 is mostly determined by the band discontinuous amount in a conduction band at the contacting position of the final barrier layer 1 and the electron blocking layer 3, and therefore, in this embodiment, same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

The material of the final barrier layer 1 is not limited to InGaN, but any material may be used as far as the band gap is smaller than the band gap of the barrier layer 2 at the position contacting with the electron blocking layer 3.

Fourth Embodiment

In a fourth embodiment, barrier layers 2 are made of In_xAl_yGa_1-x-yN (0≦x<1 0≦y≦1, x+y≦1). Other configuration is same as in the first to third embodiments, and duplicate explanation is omitted.

By using In_xAl_yGa_1-x-yN in the barrier layers 2, the band gap of the barrier layers 2 is set larger than the case where InGaN is used. As a result, overflow of electrons from a well layer 18 can be further suppressed. Hence, as compared with the first to third embodiments, the nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device of further excellent differential characteristic can be obtained.

Fifth Embodiment

A nitride-based semiconductor laser according to a fifth embodiment is similar to the nitride-based semiconductor lasers according to the first to third embodiments, except that the barrier layers 2 are made of GaN.

By using GaN in the barrier layers 2, the band gap of the barrier layers 2 is larger than when InGaN is used, and the barrier layers of excellent crystalline quality can be obtained. Hence, the nitride-based semiconductor laser having excellent differential characteristic can be obtained.

While the invention has been shown and described in detail, the foregoing description is in all aspects illustrative and not restrictive. It is therefore understood that numerous modifications and variations can be devised without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A semiconductor light-emitting device which has a structure that an active layer is interposed between an n-type clad layer and a p-type clad layer and uses a nitride-based III-V group compound semiconductor, wherein said active layer has a plurality of barrier layers, and a well layer formed so as to be interposed between said barrier layers, and of said plurality of barrier layers, a final barrier layer closest to said p-type clad layer side has a smaller band gap than that of a barrier layer other than said final barrier layer.

2. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said final barrier layer has a plurality of partial final barrier layers, and of said plurality of partial final barrier layers, a partial final barrier layer closest to said p-type clad layer side has a smaller band gap than that of a barrier layer other than said final barrier layer.

3. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 2, wherein of said plurality of partial final barrier layers, a partial final barrier layer in contact with said well layer side has the same band gap as that of a barrier layer other than said final barrier layer.

4. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the band gap of said final barrier layer becomes smaller continuously as approaching said p-type clad layer.

5. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a material of the barrier layer other than said final barrier layer is InAlGaN.

6. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a material of the barrier layer other than said final barrier layer is GaN.

7. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said final barrier layer includes a first final barrier layer disposed at said n-type clad layer side, and a second final barrier layer disposed at said p-type clad layer side, said second final barrier layer has a smaller band gap than that of the barrier layer other than said final barrier layer.

8. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 7, wherein said first final barrier layer has approximately the same band gap as that of the barrier layer other than said final barrier layer.

9. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a material of said final barrier layer is InGaN, and a material of the barrier layer other than said final barrier layer is GaN.

10. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said final barrier layer includes a plurality of partial final barrier layers, and of said plurality of partial final barrier layers, a first partial final barrier layer closest to said p-type clad layer has a smaller band gap than that of a partial final barrier layer adjacent to said first partial final barrier layer.

11. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 10, wherein the partial final barrier layer adjacent to said first partial final barrier layer has the same band gap as that of the barrier layer other than said final barrier layer.

12. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 10, wherein a material of said first partial final barrier layer is InGaN, and a material of the partial final barrier layer adjacent to said first partial final barrier layer is InGaN or GaN which has a larger band gap than that of said first partial final barrier layer.

13. A semiconductor light-emitting device which comprises a structure that an active layer is interposed between an n-type clad layer and a p-type clad layer and uses a nitride-based III-V group compound semiconductor, wherein said active layer has a plurality of barrier layers, and a well layer formed alternately to said barrier layers, the semiconductor light-emitting device further comprising: a first layer which is provided between said plurality of barrier layers and said p-type clad layer and has a band gap smaller than those of said plurality of barrier layers and larger than that of said well layer.

14. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 13, wherein said first layer is disposed in contact with said p-type clad layer.

15. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 13, further comprising: an optical waveguide layer having a larger band gap than those of said plurality of barrier layers and disposed in contact with said active layer side of said p-type clad layer, wherein said first layer is disposed between said plurality of barrier layers and said optical waveguide layer so as to contact with said optical waveguide layer.

16. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 13, further comprising: a blocking layer having a larger band gap than those of said plurality of barrier layers, wherein said first layer is disposed between said plurality of barrier layers and said blocking layer so as to contact with said blocking layer.

17. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 13, wherein said first layer is disposed in contact with said well layer.

18. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 13, wherein a material of said plurality of barrier layers is InxAlyGa1-x-yN (0≦x<1, 0≦y<1, x+y≦1).

19. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 13, further comprising: a second layer which is disposed between said plurality of barrier layers and said first layer so as to contact with said first layer and has a band gap larger or smaller than that of said first layer and larger than that of said well layer.

20. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 19, wherein said second layer has the same band gap as those of said plurality of barrier layers.

21. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 13, wherein a material of said plurality of barrier layers is GaN, and a material of said first layer is InGaN.

22. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 21, wherein said first layer is different in thickness from said plurality of barrier layers and said plurality of well layers.

23. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 21, wherein said first layer is larger in thickness than said plurality of barrier layers.

24. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 13, wherein a material of said barrier layer is InxGa1-xN, a material of said well layer is InyGa1-yN, a material of said first layer is InzGa1-zN, and In composition ratios x, y, z satisfy 0<x<z<y<1.

25. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 24, wherein said In composition ratios x, y, z satisfy (y−z)>(z−x).

26. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 24, wherein said first layer is different in thickness from said plurality of barrier layers and said plurality of well layers.

27. The semiconductor light-emitting device according to claim 24, wherein said first layer is larger in thickness than said plurality of barrier layers.