Semiconductor device manufacturing: process – Making device or circuit emissive of nonelectrical signal – Dopant introduction into semiconductor region
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-30
2002-06-18
Christianson, Keith (Department: 2813)
Semiconductor device manufacturing: process
Making device or circuit emissive of nonelectrical signal
Dopant introduction into semiconductor region
Reexamination Certificate
active
06406930
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Light emitting diodes (LED) and related light emitting devices are used in a vast number of applications. These can be used in most light emitting devices from simple panel lights to complex displays and lasers. Currently LEDs are used in the automotive industry, consumer instrumentation electronics, and many military applications. Different compounds are used to produce different wavelengths of light. For example, aluminum gallium arsenide is used for red LEDs, gallium aluminum phosphide for green, and GaN for blue. Light emitting materials formed from three different materials are often difficult to produce. Utilizing different LEDs together inherently requires allowing for different performance characteristics such as current and voltage requirements.
Wide band gap semiconductors (WBGS) doped with light emitting elements such as rare earth elements (RE) and other elements with partially filled inner shells are particularly attractive for LEDs because the emission efficiency appears to increase with band gap value, thus allowing room temperature operation without the need to introduce impurities. Wide band gap generally refers to a band gap of 2 eV or greater. Electroluminescence has been reported from several WBGS hosts including Er-doped gallium arsenide, gallium phosphide, GaN, ZnSe and SiC. Er-doped semiconductor light emitting diodes have been shown to emit in the infrared at about 1.5 microns. The infrared emission corresponds to transmissions between the lowest excited state (
4
I
13/2
) and the ground state (
4
I
15/2
) of the erbium atoms. The first Er-doped semiconductor light emitting diodes emitted IR light only at very low temperatures. However, recent advancements have permitted IR light emission at near room temperature. Although IR emitting Er-doped GaN has a great deal of utility in the communications industry, it previously has not been useful in a light emitting diode requiring visible emission.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is premised on the realization that wide band gap semiconductor substrates doped with elements with partially filled inner shells such as rare earth elements and transition metals can be formed and will emit in the visible and ultraviolet spectrum at a wide range of temperatures. The wide band gap semiconductor material are group III-V and IV materials including diamond, GaN, AIN, InN, BN and alloys thereof. These are doped with elements such as cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, turbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, or lutetium or other elements with partially filled inner shells.
By proper formation of the wide band gap semiconductor material and proper introduction of the rare earth element, a light emitting diode can be formed which emits in the visible spectrum.
By selection of the appropriate dopant material, one can select the appropriate color. For example, in GaN, erbium will produce green whereas thulium will produce blue and praseodymium will produce red.
The objects and advantages of the present invention will be further appreciated in the light of the following detailed description and drawing in which:
REFERENCES:
patent: 5045498 (1991-09-01), Wang et al.
patent: 5322813 (1994-06-01), Beach
patent: 5751021 (1998-05-01), Teraguchi
K. Gurumurugan, Hong Chen, G. R. Harp, W. M. Jadwisienczak and H. J. Lozykowski, Visible cathodoluminescence of Er-doped amorphous AlN thin films, Applied Physics Letters, vol. 74, No. 20, May 17, 1999.
D. M. Hansen, R. Zhang, N. R. Perkins, S. Safvi, L. Zhang, K. L. Bray and T. F. Kuech, Photoluminescence of erbium-implanted GaN and in situ-doped Gan:Er, Appl. Phys. Lett. vol. 72, No. 10, Mar. 9, 1998.
S. Kim, S. J. Rhee, D.A. Turnbull, E.E. Reuter, X. Li, J. J. Coleman, and S. G. Bishop, Observation of multiple Er3+ sites in Er-implanted GaN by site-selective photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy, Appl. Phys. Lett. 71 (2), Jul. 14, 1997.
S. Kim, S. J. Rhee, D. A. Turnbull, X. Li, J. J. Coleman, S. G. Bishop and P. R. Klein, Trap-mediated excitation of Er3+ photoluminescence in Er-implanted GaN, Appl. Phys. Lett. 71 (18), Nov. 3, 1997.
S. Kim. S. J. Rhee, D. A. Turnbull, X. Li, J. J. Coleman and S. G. Bishop, Site-Selective Photoluminenescence Excitation and Photoluminescence Spectroscopy of Er-Implanted Wurtzite GaN, Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. vol. 468, 1997 Materials Research Society.
H. J. Lozykowski and W. M. Jadwisienczak, Visible Cathodoluminescence of GaN doped with Dy, Er, and Tm, Applied Physics Letters, vol. 74, No. 8, Feb. 22, 1999.
J. D. Mackenzie, C. R. Abernathy, S. J. Pearton, S. M. Donovan, U. Hommerich, M. Thaik, X. Wu, F. Ren, R. G. Wilson and J. M. Zavada, Incorporation and Optical Activation of ErIN Group HI-N Materials Grown by Metalorganic Molecular Beam Epitaxy, Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. vol. 468, 1997 Materials Research Society.
J. D. MacKenzie, C. R. Abernathy, S. J. Pearton, U. Hommerich, X. Wu, R. N. Schwartz, R. G. Wilson and J. M. Zavada, Er doping of AlN during growth by metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy, Appl. Phys. Lett. 69 (14), Sep. 30, 1996.
J. D. MacKenzie, C. R. Abernathy, S. J. Pearton, U. Hommerich, X. Wu, R. N. Schwartz, R. G. Wilson and J. M. Zavada, Er doping of III-nitrides during growth by metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy, Journal of Crystal Growth 175/176 (1997) 84-88.
J. D. MacKenzie, C. R. Abernathy, S. J. Pearton, U. Hommerich, J. T. Seo, R. G. Wilson, and J. M. Zavada, Er doping of GaN during growth by metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy, Appl. Phys. Lett. vol. 72, No. 21, May 25, 1998.
C. H. Qiu, M. W. Leksono, J. I. Pankove, J. T. Torvik, R. J. Feuerstein and F. Namavar, Cathodoluminescence study of erbium and oxygen coimplanted gallium nitride thin films on sapphire substrates, Appl. Phys. Lett. 66 (5), Jan. 30, 1995.
Myo Thaik, U. Hommerich, R. N. Schwartz, R. G. Wilson and J. M. Zavada, Photoluminescence spectroscopy of erbium implanted gallium nitride, Appl. Phys. Lett. 71 (18), Nov. 3, 1997.
J. T. Torvik, R. J. Feuerstein, J. I. Pankove, C. H. Qiu and F. Namavar, Electroluminescence from erbium and oxygen coimplanted GaN, Appl. Phys. Lett. 69 (14), Sep. 30, 1996.
J. T. Torvik, C. H. Qiu, R. J. Feuerstein, J. I. Pankova and F. Namavar, Photo-, cathodo-, and electroluminescence from erbium and oxygen co-implanted GaN, J. Appl. Phys. 81 (9), May 1, 1997.
R. G. Wilson, R. N. Schwartz, C. R. Abernathy, S. J. Pearton, N. Newman, M. Rubin, T. Fu and J. M. Zavada, Photoluminescence from Er-implanted Ain and GaN, M. A. Prelas et al. (eds.), Wide Band Gap Electronic Materials, 431-435, 1995 Kluwer Academic Publishers, Printed in the Netherlands.
R. G. Wilson, R. N. Schwartz, C. R. Abernathy, S. J. Pearton, N. Newman, M. Rubin, T. Fu and J. M. Zavada, 1.54 um photoluminescence from Er-implanted GaN and AlN, Appl. Phys. Lett. 65 (8), Sep. 22, 1994.
X. Wu, U. Hommerich, J. D. Mackenzie, C. R. Abernathy, S. J. Pearton, R. N. Schwartz, R. G. Wilson and J. M. Zavada, Direct and indirect excitation of Er3+ ions in Er: AlN, Appl. Phys. Lett. 70 (16), Apr. 21, 1997.
A. R. Zanatta and L. A. O. Nunes, Green photoluminescence from Er-containing amorphous SiN thin films, Appl. Phys. Lett. vol. 72, No. 24, Jun. 15, 1998.
Birkhahn Ronald H.
Chao Liang-Chiun
Garter Michael J.
Scofield James D.
Steckl Andrew J.
Christianson Keith
University of Cincinnati
Wood Herron & Evans LLP
LandOfFree
Fabrication of visible light emitting device formed from... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Fabrication of visible light emitting device formed from..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Fabrication of visible light emitting device formed from... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2944220