With Particular Dopant Concentration Or Concentration Profile (e.g., Graded Junction) Patents (Class 257/101)
  • Patent number: 7157741
    Abstract: A silicon optoelectronic device and an optical transceiver, wherein the silicon optoelectronic device includes an n- or p-type silicon-based substrate and a doped region formed in a first surface of the substrate and doped to an opposite type from that of the substrate. The doped region provides photoelectrical conversion. The silicon optoelectronic device includes a light-emitting device section and a light-receiving device section. These sections use the doped region in common and are formed in the first surface of the substrate. The silicon optoelectronic device has an internal amplifying circuit, can selectively perform emission and detection of light, and can control the duration of emission and detection of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun-young Kim, Byoung-lyong Choi, Eun-kyung Lee
  • Patent number: 7154125
    Abstract: The nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device and manufacturing method thereof are disclosed: the nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device includes a reflective layer formed on a support substrate, a p-type nitride-based semiconductor layer, a light-emitting layer and an n-type nitride-based semiconductor layer successively formed on the reflective layer, wherein irregularities are formed on a light extracting surface located above the n-type nitride-based semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norikatsu Koide, Toshio Hata, Mayuko Fudeta, Daigaku Kimura
  • Patent number: 7145184
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor element exhibiting low leakage current and high ESD tolerance includes an active layer of nitride semiconductor that is interposed between a p-sided layer and an n-sided layer, which respectively consist of a plurality of nitride semiconductor layers, the p-side layer including a p-type contact layer as a layer for forming p-ohmic electrodes, the p-type contact layer being formed by laminating p-type nitride semiconductor layers and n-type nitride semiconductor layers in an alternate manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshikatsu Fukuda, Akira Fujioka
  • Patent number: 7135715
    Abstract: Semi-insulating Group III nitride layers and methods of fabricating semi-insulating Group III nitride layers include doping a Group III nitride layer with a shallow level p-type dopant and doping the Group III nitride layer with a deep level dopant, such as a deep level transition metal dopant. Such layers and/or method may also include doping a Group III nitride layer with a shallow level dopant having a concentration of less than about 1×1017 cm?3 and doping the Group III nitride layer with a deep level transition metal dopant. The concentration of the deep level transition metal dopant is greater than a concentration of the shallow level p-type dopant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Adam William Saxler
  • Patent number: 7135716
    Abstract: A gallium nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device includes a sapphire substrate having a nitridated upper surface; a polarity conversion layer formed on the sapphire substrate and made of MgN-based single ciystals; a first conductive gallium nitride-based semiconductor layer formed on the polarity conversion layer; an active layer formed on the first conductive gallium nitride-based semiconductor layer; and a second conductive gallium nitride-based semiconductor layer formed on the active layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Je Won Kim, Jeong Tak Oh, Dong Joon Kim, Sun Woon Kim, Soo Min Lee
  • Patent number: 7129525
    Abstract: Affords semiconductor light-emitting devices in which generation of spontaneous electric fields in the active layer is reduced to enable enhanced brightness. Semiconductor light-emitting device (1) is furnished with an n-type cladding layer (3), a p-type cladding layer (7) provided over the n-type cladding layer (3), and an active layer (5) composed of a nitride and provided in between the n-type cladding layer (3) and the p-type cladding layer (7), and therein is characterized in that the angle formed by an axis orthogonal to the interface between the n-type cladding layer (3) and the active layer (5), and the c-axis in the active layer (5), and the angle formed by an axis orthogonal to the interface between the active layer (5) and the p-type cladding layer (7), and the c-axis in the active layer (5), are each greater than zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Uematsu, Masaki Ueno, Ryu Hirota, Hideaki Nakahata, Manabu Okui
  • Patent number: 7122842
    Abstract: A light emitting assembly comprising a solid state device coupleable with a power supply constructed and arranged to power the solid state device to emit from the solid state device. A series of rare-earth doped silicon and/or silicon carbide nanocrystals that are either combined in a single layer or in individual layers that produce the required Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) emission to form a white light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Group IV Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Steven E. Hill
  • Patent number: 7122846
    Abstract: In photonic integrated circuits (PICs) having at least one active semiconductor device, such as, a buried heterostructure semiconductor laser, LED, modulator, photodiode, heterojunction bipolar transistor, field effect transistor or other active device, a plurality of semiconductor layers are formed on a substrate with one of the layers being an active region. A current channel is formed through this active region defined by current blocking layers formed on adjacent sides of a designated active region channel where the blocking layers substantially confine the current through the channel. The blocking layers are characterized by being an aluminum-containing Group III-V compound, i.e., an Al-III-V layer, intentionally doped with oxygen from an oxide source. Also, wet oxide process or a deposited oxide source may be used to laterally form a native oxide of the Al-III-V layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Infinera Corporation
    Inventors: Fred A. Kish, Jr., Sheila Hurtt, Charles H. Joyner, Richard P. Schneider
  • Patent number: 7115907
    Abstract: A radiation-emitting semiconductor component with a layer structure (12) which includes a photon-emitting active layer (16), an n-doped cladding layer (14) and a p-doped cladding layer (18), a contact connected to the n-doped cladding layer (14) and a mirror layer (20) connected to the p-doped cladding layer (18). The mirror layer (20) is formed by an alloy of silver comprising one or more metals selected from the group consisting of Ru, Rh, Pd, Au, Os, Ir, Pt, Cu, Ti, Ta and Cr.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Baur, Dominik Eisert, Michael Fehrer, Berthold Hahn, Andreas Ploessl, Wilhelm Stein
  • Patent number: 7115910
    Abstract: Novel structures of the photodetector having broad spectral ranges detection capability (from UV to 1700 nm (and also 2500 nm)) are provided. The photodetector can offer high quantum efficiency >95% over wide spectral ranges, high frequency response >8.5 GHz. The photodiode array of N×N elements is also provided. The array can also offer wide spectral detection ranges (UV to 1700 nm/2500 nm) with high quantum efficiency >85% and high quantum efficiency of >8.5 GHz, cross-talk of <1%. In the array, each photodiode can be independently addressable. The photodetector element consists of the substrate, buffer layer, absorption layer, contact layer, and the illumination surface with thin contact layer. The illumination surface can be circular, square, rectangular or ellipsometrical in shape. The photodiode array consists of the photodiode elements of N×N, where each element can be independently addressable. The sensor can be fabricated as top-illuminated type or bottom-illuminated type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Banpil Photonics, Inc.
    Inventor: Achyut Kumar Dutta
  • Patent number: 7095058
    Abstract: The improved light-emitting device may include a waveguide made with Si nanocrystals doped with optically active elements. The improved light-emitting device may be suitable for use in chip-to-chip and on-chip interconnections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Donald S. Gardner
  • Patent number: 7095057
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor laser including a substrate etched into a mesa structure, an active layer, clad layers, a current blocking layer, an etch-stop, an ohmic contact layer, and electrodes, and a method for manufacturing the same, whereby it is possible to improve a ratio of light output to input current by blocking a leakage current flowing outside an active waveguide in a BH laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Jung Ho Song, Chul Wook Lee, Ki Soo Kim, Yong Soon Baek
  • Patent number: 7095042
    Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting device including a p-type electrode structure and having a low contact resistance and high reflectance is provided. The semiconductor light emitting device includes a transparent substrate, an electron injection layer having first and second regions on the transparent substrate, an active region formed on the first region, a hole injection layer on the active layer, a first electrode structure on the second region, and a second electrode structure on the hole injection layer, and includes a first layer including nitrogen and a second layer including Pd. The low contact resistance and high reflectance can be obtained by forming a trivalent compound layer composed of Pd—Ga—N at an interface between the hole injection layer, which is composed of p-GaN, and the metal layer of the p-type electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mi-yang Kim, Joon-seop Kwak
  • Patent number: 7091526
    Abstract: A light emitting device 100 has a light emitting layer portion 9 which comprises an active layer 5 composed of an MgxZn1-xO-type oxide semiconductor, a p-type cladding layer 6 again composed of an MgxZn1-xO-type oxide semiconductor, and an n-type cladding layer 3. On the p-type cladding layer 6 of the light emitting layer portion 9, a light extraction layer 7 is configured using an oxide, where the light extraction layer 7 has a refractive index at a dominant emission wavelength of light extracted from the active layer 5 smaller than that of the cladding layers 3,6. This makes it possible to efficiently extract the light emitted from the light emitting layer portion 9 to the external of the light emitting device 100. This is it successful in providing a high-light-extraction-efficiency light emitting device having the light emitting layer portion composed of an oxide semiconductor, and a method of fabricating the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun-ya Ishizaki
  • Patent number: 7084436
    Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) grown on a substrate doped with one or more rare earth or transition element. The dopant ions absorb some or all of the light from the LED's active layer, pumping the electrons on the dopant ion to a higher energy state. The electrons are naturally drawn to their equilibrium state and they emit light at a wavelength that depends on the type of dopant ion. The invention is particularly applicable to nitride based LEDs emitting UV light and grown on a sapphire substrate doped with chromium. The chromium ions absorb the UV light, exciting the electrons on ions to a higher energy state. When they return to their equilibrium state they emit red light and some of the red light will emit from the LED's surface. The LED can also have active layers that emit green and blue and UV light, such that the LED emits green, blue, red light and UV light which combines to create white light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven P. DenBaars, Eric J. Tarsa, Michael Mack, Bernd Keller, Brian Thibeault
  • Patent number: 7071496
    Abstract: An electronic device including a new oxide layer and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The electronic device of the present invention includes an oxide layer, which is formed of an oxide containing an element from group IIa, an element from group IIb and an element from group IIIb. For example, it can be applied to a solar cell including a back electrode serving as a first electrode layer, a transparent electrically conductive film serving as a second electrode layer having a light-transmitting property, and a semiconductor layer that is provided between the back electrode and the transparent electrically conductive film and functions as a light-absorption layer, and including an oxide layer provided between the semiconductor layer and the transparent electrically conductive film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Negami, Yasuhiro Hashimoto, Hironobu Inoue
  • Patent number: 7064476
    Abstract: Electron emitters and a method of fabricating emitters are disclosed, having a concentration gradient of impurities, such that the highest concentration of impurities is at the apex of the emitters and decreases toward the base of the emitters. The method comprises the steps of doping, patterning, etching, and oxidizing the substrate, thereby forming the emitters having impurity gradients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Cathey
  • Patent number: 7053422
    Abstract: The present invention provides a solid state light-emissive display apparatus of high brightness and efficiency, high reliability, and of thin type, and method of manufacturing the same at low cost. Said apparatus has the luminous thin film made up by laminating or mixing crystal fine particle coated with insulator (5) of nm size and fluorescent fine particles (7) of nm size, and the lower electrode and the transparent upper electrode sandwiching said luminous thin film, wherein the electrons injected from said lower electrode are accelerated in the crystal fine particle coated with insulator layer (6) not being scattered by phonons to become high energy ballistic electrons, and form excitons (13) by colliding excitation of fluorescent fine particles. Since said fluorescent fine particles are of nm size, the exciton concentration is high, and luminescence intensity by extinction of excitons is also high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Japan Science and Technology Agency
    Inventors: Masahiko Ando, Toshikazu Shimada, Masatoshi Shiiki, Shunri Oda, Nobuyoshi Koshida
  • Patent number: 7053416
    Abstract: A highly reliable LED display apparatus is provided in which dust and other similar particles are prevented from entering spaces formed between light-emitting diodes and openings in a mask member provided on a circuit board. The LED display apparatus has the circuit board, the light-emitting diodes provided at predetermined positions thereon, and the mask member which is disposed approximately parallel to the circuit board. The mask member has openings at positions corresponding to the light-emitting diodes which are placed inside the respective openings. In the LED display apparatus described above, the openings of the mask member have fine projections on side surfaces thereof. The fine projections can be formed on the mask member by a flock processing technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Yasuoka, Hirokazu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7049641
    Abstract: The invention relates to the design, fabrication, and use of semiconductor devices that employ deep-level transitions (i.e., deep-level-to-conduction-band, deep-level-to-valence-band, or deep-level-to-deep-level) to achieve useful results. A principal aspect of the invention involves devices in which electrical transport occurs through a band of deep-level states and just the conduction band (or through a deep-level band and just the valence band), but where significant current does not flow through all three bands. This means that the deep-state is not acting as a nonradiative trap, but rather as an energy band through which transport takes place. Advantageously, the deep-level energy-band may facilitate a radiative transition, acting as either the upper or lower state of an optical transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Yale University
    Inventor: Janet L. Pan
  • Patent number: 7042023
    Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting device includes a semiconductor substrate; a stacked semiconductor structure formed on the semiconductor substrate; a striped ridge structure; and a semiconductor current confinement layer provided on a side surface of the striped ridge structure. The stacked semiconductor structure includes a first semiconductor clad layer, a semiconductor active layer, a second semiconductor clad layer, and a semiconductor etching stop layer. The striped ridge structure includes a third semiconductor clad layer, a semiconductor intermediate layer, and a semiconductor cap layer. The striped ridge structure is provided on the semiconductor etching stop layer. An interface between the semiconductor current confinement layer and the semiconductor etching stop layer and an interface between the semiconductor current confinement layer and the striped ridge structure each have a content of impurities of less than 1×1017/cm3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kentaro Tani
  • Patent number: 7030419
    Abstract: Thin film for optical applications, light-emitting structure using the same and the fabrication method thereof are disclosed. The present invention provides a silica or silica-related thin film for optical applications in which silicon nanoclusters and rare earth elements are co-doped. The average size of the silicon nanoclusters is less than 3 nm and the concentration of the rare earth elements is less than 0.1 atomic %. The ratio of the rare earth element concentration to that of silicon nanoclusters is controlled to range from 1 to 10 in the thin film. The thin film emits light by exciting the rare earth elements through electron-hole recombinations in the silicon nanoclusters. According to the present invention, the conditions such as the size and concentration of the silicon nanoclusters, the concentration of the rare earth element, and their concentration ratio are specifically optimized to fabricate optical devices with better performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Luxpert Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-Hoon Shin, Se-Young Seo, Hak-Seung Han
  • Patent number: 7026653
    Abstract: III-nitride or III-phosphide light emitting devices include a light emitting region disposed between a p-type region and an n-type region. At least one heavily doped layer is disposed within either the n-type region or the p-type region or both, to provide current spreading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Lumileds Lighting, U.S., LLC
    Inventor: Decai Sun
  • Patent number: 7023024
    Abstract: A diamond based Blue/UV light emitting source is disclosed. The source includes a diamond substrate having a first conductivity type, a first aluminum gallium nitride layer above the diamond substrate having the same conductivity type as the substrate, a bulk or a quantum well structure on the AlGaN layer formed of a plurality of repeating sets of alternating layers selected from among GaN, InGaN, and AlInGaN, a second AlGaN layer on the quantum well or the bulk active layer having the opposite conductivity type as the first AlGaN layer, a contact structure on the second AlGaN layer having the opposite conductivity type from the substrate and the first AlGaN layer, an ohmic contact to the diamond substrate, and an ohmic contact to the contact structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Inphot, Inc.
    Inventors: Krishna Linga, Ranjit Pandher
  • Patent number: 7023026
    Abstract: A light emitting device of III–V group compound semiconductor includes a first stack and a second stack. The first stack includes a semiconductor stack including a light emitting layer. A multilayered reflective structure for reflecting light from the light emitting layer and a first metal bonding-layer are successively formed on the semiconductor stack. The second stack includes a second metal bonding-layer. The first and second stacks are bonded together by bonding the first and second metal bonding-layers to each other. The multilayered reflective structure includes a transparent conductive oxide layer and a reflective metal layer adjacent thereto in this order from the side of the semiconductor stack. The thickness of the transparent conductive oxide layer is adjusted to control the light emission characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kensaku Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7009199
    Abstract: A light engine comprises a pair of LED active elements mounted on a common header having first and second terminals. The first terminal is connected to the cathode of the first LED active element and the anode of the second LED active element, while the second terminal is connected to the anode of the first LED active element and the cathode of the second LED active element, thereby connecting the LEDs in an anti-parallel arrangement. A light engine having a single insulating or semi-insulating substrate having formed thereon plural LED active elements with associated p- and n-type contacts forming cathode and anode contacts, respectively, for each LED active element is also provided. The LED active elements may be mounted in a flip-chip configuration on a header having a plurality of leads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: David Charles Hall
  • Patent number: 7002184
    Abstract: In the light-emitting gallium-nitride-group compound semiconductor devices using a substrate, the operating voltage is lowered and at the same time the occurrence of crack during crystal growth is suppressed, resulting in an improved manufacturing yield rate. The device includes a stacked structure of an n-type layer, a light-emitting layer and a p-type layer formed in the foregoing order on a substrate, and an n-side electrode formed on the surface of the n-type layer. The n-type layer is a laminate layer composed of, in the order from the substrate, first n-type layer and a second n-type layer having a carrier concentration higher than that of the first n-type layer. As the contact resistance between the n-type layer and the n-side electrode formed thereon is reduced, the operating voltage of a light-emitting device is lowered, and the power consumption decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunari Oku, Hidenori Kamei
  • Patent number: 6989598
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technique for forming a high quality ohmic contact utilizable in the fabrication of short-wavelength light emitting diodes (LEDs) emitting blue and green visible light and ultraviolet light, and laser diodes (LDs) using a gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor. The ohmic contact is formed by depositing a nickel (Ni)-based solid solution on top of a p-type gallium nitride semiconductor. The ohmic contact thus formed has an excellent current-voltage characteristic and a low specific contact resistance due to an increased effective carrier concentration around the surface of the gallium nitride layer, as well as a high transmittance in the short-wavelength region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: June-o Song, Dong-suk Leem, Tae-yeon Seong
  • Patent number: 6989555
    Abstract: In a III-nitride light emitting device, a ternary or quaternary light emitting layer is configured to control the degree of phase separation. In some embodiments, the difference between the InN composition at any point in the light emitting layer and the average InN composition in the light emitting layer is less than 20%. In some embodiments, control of phase separation is accomplished by controlling the ratio of the lattice constant in a relaxed, free standing layer having the same composition as the light emitting layer to the lattice constant in a base region. For example, the ratio may be between about 1 and about 1.01.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Lumileds Lighting U.S., LLC
    Inventors: Werner K. Goetz, Michael R. Krames, Anneli Munkholm
  • Patent number: 6972437
    Abstract: Disclosed is an AlGaInN LED with improved external quantum efficiency, in which a chip employing the LED has a horizontal plane formed in a lozenge shape so that the amount of total reflection of light is reduced when the light generated from an active layer interposed between hetero-semiconductor layers with different band gaps is emitted to the outside. Since the horizontal plane of the LED is formed to have a lozenge shape so that the amount of total reflection of light generated in the LED is reduced, it is possible to maximize external quantum efficiency determined by the degree of emission of the light generated in the active layer. The cleaved plane of the LED coincides with the crystal orientation of a wafer made of GaN or sapphire, thus improving the yield of the LED when the LED is cut and produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang-Tae Kim
  • Patent number: 6970491
    Abstract: A planar wafer-level packaging method is provided for a laser and a monitor photo detector. The laser and photo detector are affixed to a planar substrate. The planar substrate provides electrical connections to the components. A lens cap with a microlens is formed and affixed to the substrate with a seal. The lens cap forms a hermetically sealed cavity enclosing the laser and photo detector. The inside surface of the lens cap has a reflective coating with a central opening over the emitting aperture of the laser. The central opening has an anti-reflective coating. Light from the laser is directed and shaped by the lens cap to couple into an external light guide. Residual light from the edge of the laser reflects off the inside surface of the lens cap and is incident upon the photo detector. In an alternate method, the laser may be packaged using flip-chip assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Photodigm, Inc.
    Inventor: Sarvotham M. Bhandarkar
  • Patent number: 6967353
    Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting device includes a crystal layer formed on a substrate, the crystal layer having a tilt crystal plane tilted from the principal plane of the substrate, and a first conductive type layer, an active layer, and a second conductive type layer, which are formed on the crystal layer in such a manner as to extend within planes parallel to the tilt crystal plane, wherein the device has a shape formed by removing the apex and its vicinity of the stacked layer structure formed on the substrate. Such a semiconductor light emitting device is excellent in luminous efficiency even if the device has a three-dimensional device structure. The present invention also provides a method of fabricating the above semiconductor light emitting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Suzuki, Hiroyuki Okuyama, Goshi Biwa, Etsuo Morita
  • Patent number: 6965124
    Abstract: A light-emitting device having a structure in which a mask used for forming a film such as an organic compound layer does not come in contact with the pixels in forming the light-emitting elements, and a method of fabricating the same. In fabricating the light-emitting device of the active matrix type, a partitioning wall constituted by a second wiring and a separation portion is formed on the interlayer-insulating film, and the pixels are surrounded by the partitioning wall, preventing the mask from coming into direct contact with the pixels, the mask being used for forming the organic compound layer and the opposing electrode of the light-emitting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Yamagata
  • Patent number: 6956240
    Abstract: In an active matrix type light emitting device, a top surface exit type light emitting device in which an anode formed at an upper portion of an organic compound layer becomes a light exit electrode is provided. In a light emitting element made of a cathode, an organic compound layer and an anode, a protection film is formed in an interface between the anode that is a light exit electrode and the organic compound layer. The protection film formed on the organic compound layer has transmittance in the range of 70 to 100%, and when the anode is deposited by use of the sputtering method, a sputtering damage to the organic compound layer can be inhibited from being inflicted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toshimitsu Konuma, Hiroko Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6946689
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a control TFT structure (i.e. a driving TFT) for reducing leakage in an OLED display. A semiconductor layer, such as a polysilicon layer, is deposited on a transparent substrate as a channel region. A lightly doped region and a drain region are disposed on one side of the polysilicon layer and a source region is disposed on the opposite side of the polysilicon layer. An insulating layer is deposited covering the surface of the polysilicon layer, the lightly doped region, and the source/drain regions. Source and drain electrodes are disposed in the insulating layer, electrically connecting the source and drain region respectively. A gate metal layer is disposed on the insulating layer, at approximately the top right portion of the polysilicon layer to form a transistor structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corp.
    Inventor: Kun-Hong Chen
  • Patent number: 6943379
    Abstract: In a light emitting diode, a blue light emitting element is mounted on a base having a cup through a phosphor-containing mount so that the light emitting element is located within the cup and is mounted on the bottom of the cup through the phosphor-containing mount. The light emitting diode includes a light emitting element and a p electrode. By virtue of the above construction, blue light emitted from the light emitting element can be reflected from the lower surface of the p electrode without being radiated directly from the upper surface of the light emitting element to the outside of the light emitting diode. As a result, the blue light emitted from the light emitting element can be efficiently mixed with yellow light given off from the phosphor in the phosphor-containing mount to provide white light which is radiated to the outside of the light emitting diode with high efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Suehiro, Hitomi Kawano, Tatsuya Takashima, Yuji Takahashi, Atsuo Hirano
  • Patent number: 6940103
    Abstract: A method of growing a nitride semiconductor crystal which has very few crystal defects and can be used as a substrate is disclosed. This invention includes the step of forming a first selective growth mask on a support member including a dissimilar substrate having a major surface and made of a material different from a nitride semiconductor, the first selective growth mask having a plurality of first windows for selectively exposing the upper surface of the support member, and the step of growing nitride semiconductor portions from the upper surface, of the support member, which is exposed from the windows, by using a gaseous Group 3 element source and a gaseous nitrogen source, until the nitride semiconductor portions grown in the adjacent windows combine with each other on the upper surface of the selective growth mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Nichia Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kiyoku, Shuji Nakamura, Tokuya Kozaki, Naruhito Iwasa, Kazuyuki Chocho
  • Patent number: 6936838
    Abstract: Disclosed is a nitride-based semiconductor device including a first nitride semiconductor layer doped with an n type impurity, an active layer formed on the first nitride semiconductor layer, the active layer including a plurality of quantum well layers and a plurality of quantum barrier layers alternately laminated over one another, at least one of the quantum layers being doped with the n type impurity, and a nitride semiconductor layer formed over the active layer, and doped with a p type impurity. The quantum barrier layer doped with the n type impurity includes an internal layer portion doped with the n type impurity, and an anti-diffusion film arranged at an interface of the quantum barrier layer with an adjacent one of the quantum well layers, the anti-diffusion film having an n type impurity concentration lower than that of the internal layer portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sun Woon Kim
  • Patent number: 6933537
    Abstract: Disclosed is a technique for increasing the shelf life of devices, such as OLED which requires hermetic sealing from moisture and oxygen with out increasing the bonding width. In one embodiment, the permeation path of moisture or oxygen is increased without increasing the bonding width. This is achieved by using a grooved interface between the cap and substrate on which the components of the device are formed. The grooved interface can comprise various geometric shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignees: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH, Institute of Materials Research & Engineering
    Inventors: Low Hong Yee, Ewald Guenther, Chua Soo Jin
  • Patent number: 6924163
    Abstract: Efficiency of leading out light released from an active layer, i.e. the external quantum efficiency, can be improved remarkably by processing a light lead-out surface to have an embossment. A layer containing a p-type dopant like magnesium (Mg) is deposited near the surface of a p-type GaN layer to diffuse it there, and a p-side electrode is made on the p-type GaN layer after removing the deposited layer. This results in ensuring ohmic contact with the p-side electrode, preventing exfoliation of the electrode and improving the reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Haruhiko Okazaki, Koichi Nitta, Chiharu Nozaki
  • Patent number: 6921925
    Abstract: In photonic integrated circuits (PICs) having at least one active semiconductor device, such as, a buried heterostructure semiconductor laser, LED, modulator, photodiode, heterojunction bipolar transistor, field effect transistor or other active device, a plurality of semiconductor layers are formed on a substrate with one of the layers being an active region. A current channel is formed through this active region defined by current blocking layers formed on adjacent sides of a designated active region channel where the blocking layers substantially confine the current through the channel. The blocking layers are characterized by being an aluminum-containing Group III-V compound, i.e., an Al-III-V layer, intentionally doped with oxygen from an oxide source. Also, wet oxide process or a deposited oxide source may be used to laterally form a native oxide of the Al-III-V layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Inventors: Fred A. Kish, Jr., Sheila K. Mathis, Charles H. Joyner, Richard P. Schneider
  • Patent number: 6909120
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, a nitride semiconductor light emitting device includes a light emitting layer having a quantum well structure with quantum well layers and barrier layers laminated alternately. The well layer is formed of a nitride semiconductor containing In, and the barrier layer is formed of a nitride semiconductor layer containing As, P or Sb. According to another aspect of the present invention, a nitride semiconductor light emitting device includes a light emitting layer having a quantum well structure with quantum well layers and barrier layers laminated alternately. The well layer is formed of GaN1?x?y?zAsxPySbz (0<x+y+z?0.3), and the barrier layer is formed of a nitride semiconductor containing In.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuhzoh Tsuda, Shigetoshi Ito
  • Patent number: 6891202
    Abstract: An active semiconductor device, such as, buried heterostructure semiconductor lasers, LEDs, modulators, photodiodes, heterojunction bipolar transistors, field effect transistors or other active devices, comprise a plurality of semiconductor layers formed on a substrate with one of the layers being an active region. A current channel is formed through this active region defined by current blocking layers formed on adjacent sides of a designated active region channel where the blocking layers substantially confine the current through the channel. The blocking layers are characterized by being an aluminum-containing Group III-V compound, i.e., an Al-III-V layer, intentionally doped with oxygen from an oxide source. Also, wet oxide process or a deposited oxide source may be used to laterally form a native oxide of the Al-III-V layer. An example of a material system for this invention useful at optical telecommunication wavelengths is InGaAsP/InP where the Al-III-V layer comprises InAlAs:O or InAlAs:O:Fe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Infinera Corporation
    Inventors: Fred A. Kish, Jr., Sheila K. Mathis, Charles H. Joyner, Richard P. Schneider
  • Patent number: 6891189
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor laser device includes a nitride semiconductor substrate, and a layered portion corresponding to a nitride semiconductor film grown on the nitride semiconductor substrate, the layered portion including an n-type layer and a p-type layer and a light emitting layer posed between the n- and p-type layers, of the n- and p-type layers a layer opposite to the nitride semiconductor substrate with the light emitting layer opposed therebetween serving as an upper layer having a stripe of 1.9 ?m to 3.0 ?n in width, the light emitting layer and the upper layer having an interface distant from a bottom of the stripe by 0 ?m to 0.2 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Ito, Yuhzoh Tsuda
  • Patent number: 6888172
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for encapsulating an OLED device formed on a flexible substrate. The OLED device is moisture protected by an encapsulation which sandwiches the OLED device between two transparent dielectric metal oxide layers. The oxide layers are formed in a chamber which includes a plurality of processing stations for forming successive atomic layers of oxides along passes of the flexible substrate within the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Amalkumar P. Ghosh
  • Patent number: 6888170
    Abstract: A method of forming a highly doped layer of AlGaN, is practiced by first removing contaminants from a MBE machine. Wafers are then outgassed in the machine at very low pressures. A nitride is then formed on the wafer and an AlN layer is grown. The highly doped GaAlN layer is then formed having electron densities beyond 1×1020 cm?3 at Al mole fractions up to 65% are obtained. These levels of doping application of n-type bulk, and n/p tunnel injection to short wavelength UV emitters. Some applications include light emitting diodes having wavelengths between approximately 254 and 290 nm for use in fluorescent light bulbs, hazardous materials detection, water purification and other decontamination environments. Lasers formed using the highly doped layers are useful in high-density storage applications or telecommunications applications. In yet a further embodiment, a transistor is formed utilizing the highly doped layer as a channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Schaff, Jeonghyun Hwang
  • Patent number: 6872986
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor element exhibiting low leakage current and high ESD tolerance includes an active layer of nitride semiconductor that is interposed between a p-sided layer and an n-sided layer, which respectively consist of a plurality of nitride semiconductor layers, the p-side layer including a p-type contact layer as a layer for forming p-ohmic electrodes, the p-type contact layer being formed by laminating p-type nitride semiconductor layers and n-type nitride semiconductor layers in an alternate manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshikatsu Fukuda, Akira Fujioka
  • Patent number: 6870198
    Abstract: An organic EL device which includes a first electrode, a hole transport layer, a light-emitting layer, and the second electrode, wherein the light-emitting layer includes a mixed light-emitting film of a host substance, which is capable of transferring an energy to another light-emitting polymer by absorbing the energy, and a phosphorescent dopant which is capable of emitting light using a triplet state after absorbing the energy received. Accordingly, the light-emitting layer can be patterned, and a color purity and light-emitting characteristics of a full color organic polymer EL device, produced through a laser induced termal imaging operating, can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mu Hyun Kim, Min Chul Suh, Byung Doo Chin, Seong Taek Lee, Jang Hyuk Kwon
  • Patent number: 6858876
    Abstract: A multi-layer semiconductor diode having a layer of wide bandgap material located between the active layer and a first contact zone, where the active layer and additional wide bandgap layer are of one dopant type, and the first contact zone is of the opposite dopant type. A specific embodiment of the invention comprises a stack formed from a first contact zone (4) of p-type material, a lightly doped p-type active layer (2), an additional p layer (20) and a second contact zone (6) of n-type material. The diode may be used as an infrared detector or a negative luminescent source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: QinetiQ Limited
    Inventors: Neil Thomson Gordon, Anthony Michael White, Charles Thomas Elliott
  • Patent number: 6855959
    Abstract: A nitride based semiconductor photo-luminescent device has an active layer having a quantum well structure. The active layer has both a high dislocation density region and a low dislocation density region that is lower in dislocation density than the high dislocation density region, wherein the low dislocation density region includes a current injection region into which a current is injected, and the active layer is less than 1×1018 cm?3 in impurity concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamaguchi, Masaru Kuramoto, Masaaki Nido