Semipolar amd nonpolar light-emitting devices

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure provide for mechanisms for fabricating nonpolar or semipolar light-emitting devices. In accordance with some embodiments, a light-emitting device may include: a first semiconductor layer comprising a first epitaxial layer of a group III-nitride material, a second semiconductor layer comprising at least one quantum well structure, and a third semiconductor layer comprising a second epitaxial layer of the group III-nitride material. The first epitaxial layer and the second epitaxial layer may be an n-type GaN layer and a p-type GaN layer, respectively. In some embodiments, a surface of the first epitaxial layer of the group III-nitride material is approximately parallel to a semipolar plane of the group III-nitride material. In some embodiments, a surface of the second semiconductor layer is approximately parallel to the semipolar plane of the group III-nitride material. The semipolar plane may be a (20 2 1), (20 21 ), (30 3 1), or (30 31 ) plane.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A light-emitting device, comprising:
 a first semiconductor layer comprising a first epitaxial layer of a group III-nitride material, wherein a surface of the first epitaxial layer of the group III-nitride material is approximately parallel to a semipolar plane of the group III-nitride material, and wherein the first epitaxial layer of the group III-nitride material is free of stacking faults; and   a second semiconductor layer comprising at least one quantum well structure, wherein a surface of the second semiconductor layer is approximately parallel to the semipolar plane of the group III-nitride material.   
     
     
         2 . The light-emitting device of  claim 1 , wherein the semipolar plane comprises at least one of a (20 2 1) plane, a (20 21 ) plane, a (30 3 1) plane, or a (30 31 ) plane. 
     
     
         3 . The light-emitting device of  claim 2 , wherein the second semiconductor layer comprises an active layer for emitting light with a peak emission wavelength between 400 nm and 550 nm. 
     
     
         4 . The light-emitting device of  claim 2 , wherein the second semiconductor layer comprises an active layer for emitting light with a peak emission wavelength of 450 nm. 
     
     
         5 . The light-emitting device of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the first semiconductor layer is equal to or greater than 2 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The light-emitting device of  claim 1 , further comprising a third semiconductor layer comprising a second epitaxial layer of the group III-nitride material, wherein the first epitaxial layer of the group III-nitride material is doped with a first conductive type impurity, and wherein the second epitaxial layer of the group III-nitride material is doped with a second conductive type impurity. 
     
     
         7 . The light-emitting device of  claim 6 , wherein the second semiconductor layer is positioned between the first semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer. 
     
     
         8 . The light-emitting device of  claim 1 , wherein the group III-nitride material comprises gallium. 
     
     
         9 . The light-emitting device of  claim 1 , wherein the quantum well structure comprises a plurality of quantum well layers comprising indium and a plurality of barrier layers. 
     
     
         10 . The light-emitting device of  claim 1 , wherein the second semiconductor layer is free of stacking faults. 
     
     
         11 . The light-emitting device of  claim 1 , wherein a reverse leakage current in the light-emitting device is equal to or less than 10 −6  A when a reverse bias of −5 V is applied to the light-emitting device. 
     
     
         12 . A method for fabricating a light-emitting device, comprising:
 growing, on a group III-nitride substrate comprising a group III-nitride material, a first semiconductor layer comprising the group III-nitride material along a semipolar orientation; and   growing, on the first semiconductor layer of the group III-nitride material, a second semiconductor layer along the semipolar orientation, the second semiconductor layer comprising at least one quantum well structure.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the semipolar orientation comprises at least one of (20 2 1), (20 21 ), (30 3 1), or (30 31 ). 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein growing the second semiconductor layer comprises growing an active layer for emitting light with a peak emission wavelength between 400 nm and 550 nm. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein growing the second semiconductor layer comprises growing an active layer for emitting light with a peak emission wavelength of 450 nm. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein growing the quantum well structure comprises growing a plurality of quantum well layers comprising indium and a plurality of barrier layers. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein growing the first semiconductor layer comprises growing the group III-nitride material along the semipolar orientation without introducing stacking faults. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 growing, on the second semiconductor layer, a third semiconductor layer comprising the group III-nitride material along the semipolar orientation, wherein growing the third semiconductor layer comprises growing the group III-nitride material along the semipolar orientation without introducing stacking faults.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein growing the first semiconductor layer comprises growing a first epitaxial layer of the group III-nitride material doped with a first conductive type impurity, and wherein growing the third semiconductor layer comprises growing a second epitaxial layer of the group III-nitride material doped with a second conductive type impurity. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the group III-nitride material comprises gallium.