Electroluminescence analysis and simulation of the effects of injection and temperature on carrier distribution in InGaN-based light-emitting diodes with color-coded quantum wells

This paper reports on an extensive analysis of the electroluminescence characteristics of InGaN-based LEDs with color-coded structure, i.e., with a triple quantum well structure in which each quantum well has a different indium content. The analysis is based on combined electroluminescence measurements and two-dimensional simulations, carried out at different current and temperature levels. Results indicate that (i) the efficiency of each of the quantum wells strongly depends on device operating conditions (current and temperature); (ii) at low current and temperature levels, only the quantum well closer to the p-side has a significant emission; (iii) emission from the other quantum wells is favored at high current levels. The role of carrier injection, hole mobility, carrier density and non-radiative recombination in determining the relative intensity of the quantum wells is discussed in the text. © 2013 The Japan Society of Applied Physics.

Precision transfer printing of ultra-thin AlInGaN micron-size light-emitting diodes

We report the fabrication of a mechanically-flexible 16×16 array of thin-film, micron-size LEDs emitting at 480 nm. Devices were transfer-printed onto a mechanically-flexible ITO backplane using a modified, high-precision (placement accuracy ±25 nm) assembly system. © 2013 IEEE.

Nanoscale-accuracy transfer printing of ultra-thin AlInGaN light-emitting diodes onto mechanically flexible substrates

The transfer printing of 2 μm-thick aluminum indium gallium nitride (AlInGaN) micron-size light-emitting diodes with 150 nm (±14 nm) minimum spacing is reported. The thin AlInGaN structures were assembled onto mechanically flexible polyethyleneterephthalate/polydimethylsiloxane substrates in a representative 16 × 16 array format using a modified dip-pen nano-patterning system. Devices in the array were positioned using a pre-calculated set of coordinates to demonstrate an automated transfer printing process. Individual printed array elements showed blue emission centered at 486 nm with a forward-directed optical output power up to 80 μW (355 mW/cm 2) when operated at a current density of 20 A/cm2. © 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.

Characteristics and applications of InGaN micro-light emitting diodes on Si substrates

InGaN micro-light emitting diodes on Si substrates have been fabricated and characterized. Their abilities for micro-display, high modulation bandwidth of 270 MHz and data transmission rate of up to 400 Mbit/s have been demonstrated. © 2013 IEEE.

Analysis of defect-related localized emission processes in InGaN/GaN-based LEDs

This paper reports an extensive analysis of the defect-related localized emission processes occurring in InGaN/GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) at low reverse- and forward-bias conditions. The analysis is based on combined electrical characterization and spectrally and spatially resolved electroluminescence (EL) measurements. Results of this analysis show that: (i) under reverse bias, LEDs can emit a weak luminescence signal, which is directly proportional to the injected reverse current. Reverse-bias emission is localized in submicrometer-size spots; the intensity of the signal is strongly correlated to the threading dislocation (TD) density, since TDs are preferential paths for leakage current conduction. (ii) Under low forward-bias conditions, the intensity of the EL signal is not uniform over the device area. Spectrally resolved EL analysis of green LEDs identifies the presence of localized spots emitting at 600 nm (i.e., in the yellow spectral region), whose origin is ascribed to localized tunneling occurring between the quantum wells and the barrier layers of the diodes, with subsequent defect-assisted radiative recombination. The role of defects in determining yellow luminescence is confirmed by the high activation energy of the thermal quenching of yellow emission (Ea =0.64&eV). © 2012 IEEE.

Comparisons between gigabit NRZ, CAP and optical OFDM systems over FEC enhanced POF links using LEDs

Simulations have been performed to compare the link power budget and power dissipation of carrierless amplitude and phase modulation-64 (CAP-64) and 64-quadrature amplitude modulation-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (64-QAM-OFDM) systems over feedforward error correction (FEC) enhanced plastic optical fibre (POF) links using light emitting diodes (LEDs). It is shown that CAP-64 outperforms 64-QAM-OFDM and supports record high 2.1Gb/s over 50m POF transmission. The CAP-64 and 64-QAM-OFDM links consume similar powers which are 2 (2.5) times of that of NRZ for the single POF link (twin POF links) case. © 2012 IEEE.

Prospects of III-nitride optoelectronics grown on Si.

The use of III-nitride-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is now widespread in applications such as indicator lamps, display panels, backlighting for liquid-crystal display TVs and computer screens, traffic lights, etc. To meet the huge market demand and lower the manufacturing cost, the LED industry is moving fast from 2 inch to 4 inch and recently to 6 inch wafer sizes. Although Al2O3 (sapphire) and SiC remain the dominant substrate materials for the epitaxy of nitride LEDs, the use of large Si substrates attracts great interest because Si wafers are readily available in large diameters at low cost. In addition, such wafers are compatible with existing processing lines for 6 inch and larger wafers commonly used in the electronics industry. During the last decade, much exciting progress has been achieved in improving the performance of GaN-on-Si devices. In this contribution, the status and prospects of III-nitride optoelectronics grown on Si substrates are reviewed. The issues involved in the growth of GaN-based LED structures on Si and possible solutions are outlined, together with a brief introduction to some novel in situ and ex situ monitoring/characterization tools, which are especially useful for the growth of GaN-on-Si structures.

Efficiency measurement of GaN-based quantum well and light-emitting diode structures grown on silicon substrates

The optical efficiency of GaN-based multiple quantum well (MQW) and light emitting diode (LED) structures grown on Si(111) substrates by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy was measured and compared with equivalent structures on sapphire. The crystalline quality of the LED structures was comprehensively characterized using x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and plan-view transmission electron microscopy. A room temperature photoluminescence (PL) internal quantum efficiency (IQE) as high as 58% has been achieved in an InGaN/GaN MQW on Si, emitting at 460 nm. This is the highest reported PL-IQE of a c-plane GaN-based MQW on Si, and the radiative efficiency of this sample compares well with similar structures grown on sapphire. Processed LED devices on Si also show good electroluminescence (EL) performance, including a forward bias voltage of ∼3.5 V at 20 mA and a light output power of 1 mW at 45 mA from a 500 ×500 μm2 planar device without the use of any additional techniques to enhance the output coupling. The extraction efficiency of the LED devices was calculated, and the EL-IQE was then estimated to have a maximum value of 33% at a current density of 4 A cm-2, dropping to 30% at a current density of 40 A cm-2 for a planar LED device on Si emitting at 455 nm. The EL-IQE was clearly observed to increase as the structural quality of the material increased for devices on both sapphire and Si substrates. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.