A gallium-nitride based light-emitting diode structure includes a digital penetration layer to raise its reverse withstanding voltage and electrostatic discharge. The digital penetration layer is formed by alternate stacking layers of Al.sub.xIn.sub.yGa.sub.1-x-yN.sub.zP.sub.1-z/Al.sub.pIn.sub.qGa.sub.1-p-q- N.sub.rP.sub.1-r, wherein 0.ltoreq.x,y,z,p,q,r.ltoreq.1, and Al.sub.xIn.sub.yGa.sub.1-x-yN.sub.zP.sub.1-z has an energy gap greater than that of Al.sub.pIn.sub.qGa.sub.1-p-qN.sub.rP.sub.1-r. The Al.sub.xIn.sub.yGa.sub.1-x-yN.sub.zP.sub.1-z layers have increasing thickness and the Al.sub.pIn.sub.qGa.sub.1-p-qN.sub.zP.sub.1-r layers have decreasing thickness.