An undoped amorphous boron phosphide (BP) layer was formed by metalorganic CVD (MOCVD) method on a light-emitting layer consisting of an n-GaN/n-GaInN superlattice structure. The amorphous BP layer could serve as a capping layer to suppress vaporization of indium (In) form the light-emitting layer. The BP capping layer was also found to serve as an underlying layer for the stacking of an undoped p-type polycrystalline BP layer. The room-temperature resistivity of the p-type polycrystalline BP layer was 5 x 10(-2)Omega cm at a Hall concentration of 1 x 10(19) cm(-3). (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.