Abstract: A method for the production of gallium nitride compound semiconductor chips from a wafer having gallium nitride compound semiconductor layers (2, 3) laminated on the principal surface of a substrate (1) comprises a step of forming first grooves (11) linearly in a desired chip shape by etching on the gallium nitride compound semiconductor layers (2, 3) sides of the wafer, a step of forming second grooves (22) having a nearly equal or smaller line width (W2) than a line width (W1) of the first grooves on the substrate (1) side of the wafer at positions not conforming to the central lines of the first grooves, and a step of dividing the wafer along the first and second grooves. It consequently allows the wafer to be accurately cut in an extremely high yield, with the result that the number of chips taken out of one wafer will be increased and the productivity will be enhanced.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a compound semiconductor light-emitting device having side surfaces of large surface area to improve the efficiency for outwardly transmitting the emitted light. Another object of the present invention is to provide a technology capable of easily forming the side surfaces with large surface area without using a cutting tool and without the need of taking a trouble to impart mechanical damage. The inventive compound semiconductor light-emitting device has a light-emitting layer, on a substrate, wherein at least a part of a substrate portion of the device side surface has recessed portions in a side direction of the device.

Abstract: A Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device having a stacked structure includes a transparent crystal substrate having a front surface and a back surface, a first Group III nitride semiconductor layer of first conductive type formed on the front surface of the transparent crystal substrate, a second Group III nitride semiconductor layer of second conductive type which is opposite from the first conductive type, a light-emitting layer made of a Group III nitride semiconductor between the first and second Group III nitride semiconductor layers, and a plate body including fluorescent material, attached onto the back surface of the transparent crystal substrate.

Abstract: The inventive production method of a compound semiconductor light-emitting device (LED)s wafer comprises a step of forming a protective film on the top and/or bottom surface of a compound semiconductor LEDs wafer, where the devices being regularly and periodically arranged with separation zones being disposed; a step of forming separation grooves by means of laser processing in the separation zones of the surface on which the protective film is formed, while a gas is blown onto a laser-irradiated portion; and a step of removing at least a portion of the protective film, which steps are performed in the above sequence.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing a Group III nitride semiconductor device having a chip form which is pentagonal or more highly polygonal maintaining good area efficiency and at a low cost. The inventive method of producing a Group III nitride semiconductor device having a chip shape which is a pentagonal or more highly polygonal shape comprises a first step of epitaxially growing a Group III nitride semiconductor on a substrate to form a semiconductor wafer; a second step of irradiating said semiconductor wafer with a laser beam to form separation grooves; a third step of grinding and/or polishing the main surface side differently from the epitaxially grown main surface of the substrate; and a fourth step of division into individual chips by applying stress to said separation grooves.

Abstract: A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device includes a substrate and a nitride semiconductor layer including a light-emitting layer stacked on the substrate, wherein a normal line relative to a lateral face of the nitride semiconductor layer is not perpendicular to a normal line relative to a principal plane of the substrate. A method for the production of a nitride semiconductor light-emitting device that includes a substrate and a nitride semiconductor layer including a light-emitting layer stacked on the substrate includes the steps of covering a first surface of the nitride semiconductor layer with a mask provided with a prescribed pattern, removing the nitride semiconductor layer in regions to be divided into component devices till the substrate, subjecting the nitride semiconductor layer to wet-etching treatment and dividing the nitride semiconductor layer into the component devices.