Light extraction of GaN LEDs with 2-D photonic crystal structure

Ultraviolet photo-lithography is employed to introduce two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystal (PC) structure on the top surface of GaN-based light emitting diode (LED). PC patterns are transferred to 460-nm-thick transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching. Light intensity of PC-LED can be enhanced by 38% comparing with the one without PC structure. Rigorous coupled wave analysis method is performed to calculate the light transmission spectrum of PC slab. Simulation results indicate that total internal reflect angle which modulated by PC structure has been increased by 7 degrees, which means that the light extraction efficiency is enhanced outstandingly.

Photoluminescence characterization of nanocrystalline ZnO array

High-density and uniform well-aligned ZnO sub-micron rods are synthesized on the silicon substrate over a large area. The morphology, and structure of the ZnO sub-micron rods are investigated by x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectra. It is found that the ZnO sub-micron rods are of high crystal quality with the diameter in the range of 400-600 nm and the length of several micrometres long. The optical properties were studied bill photoluminescence spectra. The results show that the intensity of the ultraviolet emission at 3.3 eV is rather high, meanwhile the deep level transition centred at about 2.38 eV is weak. The free exciton emission could also be observed at low, temperature, which implies the high optical quality of the ZnO sub-micron rods. This growth technique provides one effective way to fabricate the high crystal quality ZnO nanowires array, which is very important for potential applications in the new-type optoelectronic nanodevices.

Quasi-aligned ZnO nanotubes grown on Si substrates

Quasi-aligned ZnO nanotubes have been grown on silicon substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition without using any catalyst. Two kinds of ZnO nanotubular structures were found: Nanotubes with single walls and nanotubes with double walls. The nanotubes were grown along the [001] direction. Room-temperature photoluminescence measurements of the ZnO nanotubes indicate strong ultraviolet emission and weak green emission. A new growth mode for these ZnO nanotubes is proposed, which can be used to prepare other nanotubular structures. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.

Synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanorods and nanoflowers grown on GaN-based LED epiwafer using a solution deposition method

We report the growth of hexagonal ZnO nanorods and nanoflowers on GaN-based LED epiwafer using a solution deposition method. We also discuss the mechanisms of epitaxial nucleation and of the growth of ZnO nanorods and nanoflowers. A GaN-based LED epiwafer was first deposited on a sapphire substrate by MOCVD with no electrode being fabricated on it. Vertically aligned ZnO nanorods with an average height of similar to 2.4 mu m were then grown on the LED epiwafer, and nanoflowers were synthesized on the nanorods. The growth orientation of the nanorods was perpendicular to the surface, and the synthesized nanoflowers were composed of nanorods. The micro-Raman spectra of the ZnO nanorods and nanoflowers are similar and both exhibit the E-2 (high) mode and the second-order multiple-phonon mode. The photoluminescence spectrum of ZnO nanostructures exhibits ultraviolet emission centred at about 380 nm and a broad and enhanced green emission centred at about 526 nm. The green emission of the ZnO nanostructures combined with the emission of InGaN quantum wells provides a valuable method to improve the colour rendering index (CRI) of LEDs.

Pressure behaviour of the UV and green emission bands in ZnO micro-rods

The pressure behavior of the ultraviolet (UV) and green emission bands in ZnO tetrapod-like micro-rods has been investigated at 300 and 70 K, respectively. The pressure coefficient of the UV band at 300 K is 24.5 meV/GPa, consistent with that of the band gap of bulk ZnO. However, the pressure coefficient of the green band is 25 meV/GPa, far larger than previous literature reports. The green band in this work originates from Cu-related emission, as confirmed by the fine structure observed in the spectra at 10 K. The pressure coefficients of four phonon replicas of the free exciton emission (FX) at 70 K are 21.0, 20.2, 19.8, and 19.3 meV/GPa, respectively. The energy shift rate of the FX emission and the LO phonon energies is then determined to be 21.4 and 0.55 meV/GPa. The pressure coefficient of the neutral donor bound exciton ((DX)-X-0) transition is 20.5 meV/GPa, only 4% smaller than that of FX. This confirms that the (DX)-X-0 emission corresponds to excitons bound to neutral shallow donors. (C) 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

ZnO thin films on Si(111) grown by pulsed laser deposition from metallic Zn target

ZnO thin films with highly c-axis orientation have been fabricated on p-type Si(1 1 1) substrates at 400 degrees C by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) from a metallic Zn target with oxygen pressures between 0.1 and 0.7 mbar. Experimental results indicate that the films deposited at 0.3 and 0.5 mbar have better crystalline and optical quality and flatter surfaces than the films prepared at other pressures. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of (0 0 0 2) diffraction peak decreases remarkably from 0.46 to 0.19 degrees with increasing annealing temperature for the film prepared at 0.3 mbar. In photoluminescence (PL) spectra at room temperature, the annealed film at 700 degrees C exhibits a smaller ultraviolet (UV) peak FWHM of 108 meV than the as-grown film (119 meV). However, an enhanced deep-level emission is observed. Possible origins to above results are discussed. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effects of LT AlN buffer thickness on the properties of high Al composition AlGaN epilayers

To fabricate nitride-based ultraviolet optoelectronic devices, a deposition process for high-Al-composition AlGaN (Al content > 50%) films with reduced dislocation densities must be developed. This paper describes the growth of high-Al-composition AlGaN film on (0001) sapphire via a LT AIN nucleation layer by low pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (LPMOCVD). The influence of the low temperature AIN buffer layer thickness on the high-Al-content AlGaN epilayer is investigated by triple-axis X-ray diffraction (TAXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and optical transmittance. The results show that the buffer thickness is a key parameter that affects the quality of the AlGaN epilayer. An appropriate thickness results in the best structural properties and surface morphology. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

p-type Zn1-xMgxO films with Sb doping by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering

Sb-doped Zn1-xMgxO films were grown on c-plane sapphire substrates by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. The p-type conduction of the films (0.05 <= x <= 0.13) was confirmed by Hall measurements, revealing a hole concentration of 10(15)-10(16) cm(-3) and a mobility of 0.6-4.5 cm(2)/V s. A p-n homojunction comprising an undoped ZnO layer and an Sb-doped Zn0.95Mg0.05O layer shows a typical rectifying characteristic. Sb-doped p-type Zn1-xMgxO films also exhibit a changeable wider band gap as a function of x, implying that they can probably be used for fabrication of ZnO-based quantum wells and ultraviolet optoelectronic devices. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

Effect of substrate temperature on the growth and photoluminescence properties of vertically aligned ZnO nanostructures

Vertically well-aligned ZnO nanoridge, nanorod, nanorod-nanowall junction, and nanotip arrays have been successfully synthesized on Si (100) substrates using a pulsed laser deposition prepared ZnO film as seed layer by thermal evaporation method. Experimental results illustrated that the growth of different morphologies of ZnO nanostructures was strongly dependent upon substrate temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies showed that the ZnO nanostructures were single crystals with a wurtzite structure. Compared with those of the other nanostructures, the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of nanorod-nanowall junctions showed the largest intensity ratio of ultraviolet (UV) to yellow-green emission and the smallest full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the UV peak, reflecting the high optical quality and nearly defect free of crystal structure. The vertical alignment of the nanowire array on the substrate is attributed to the epitaxial growth of the nanostructures from the ZnO buffer layer. The growth mechanism was also discussed in detail. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Temperature dependence of the formation of nano-scale indium clusters in InAlGaN alloys on Si(111) substrates

The temperature dependence of the formation of nano-scale indium clusters in InAlGaN quaternary alloys, which are grown by metalorganic chemical vapour deposition on GaN/Si(111) epilayers, is investigated. Firm evidence is provided to support the existence of phase separation, or nano-scale In-rich clusters, by the combined results of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), high-resolution x-ray diffraction (HRXRD) and micro-Raman spectra. The results of HRXRD and Raman spectra indicate that the degree of phase separation is strong and the number of In clusters in the InAlGaN layers on silicon substrate is higher at lower growth temperatures than that at higher growth temperatures, which limits the In and Al incorporated into the InAlGaN quaternary alloys. The detailed mechanism of luminescence in this system is studied by low temperature photoluminescence (LT-PL). We conclude that the ultraviolet (UV) emission observed in the quaternary InAlGaN alloys arises from the matrix of a random alloy, and the second emission peak in the blue-green region results from the nano-scale indium clusters.

Structural and photoluminescent properties of ternary Zn1-xCdxO crystal films grown on Si(111) substrates

The ternary Zn1-xCdxO (0less than or equal toxless than or equal to0.6) alloying films with highly c-axis orientation have been deposited on Si(111) substrates by direct current reactive magnetron sputtering method. X-ray diffraction measurement indicates that the wurtzite-type structure of ZnO can be stabilized up to nominal Cd content x similar to 0.6 without cubic CdO phase separation. The lattice parameter c of Zn1-xCdxO increases almost linearly from 5.229 Angstrom (x = 0) to 5.247 Angstrom (x = 0.6), indicating that Cd substitution takes place on the Zn lattice sites. The photoluminescence spectra of the Zn1-xCdxO thin films measured at 12 K display a substantial red shift (similar to0.3 eV) in the near-band-edges (NBEs) emission of ZnO: from 3.39 eV of ZnO to 3.00 eV of Zn0.4Cd0.6O. The direct modulation of band gap caused by Zn/Cd substitution is responsible for the red shift effect in NBE emission of ZnO. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of deep levels in Pt-GaN Schottky diodes deposited on intermediate-temperature buffer layers

Gallium nitride (GaN)-based Schottky junctions were fabricated by RF-plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The GaN epitaxial layers were deposited on novel double buffer layers that consist of a conventional low-temperature buffer layer (LTBL) grown at 500 degreesC and an intermediate-temperature buffer layer (ITBL) deposited at 690 degreesC. Low-frequency excess noise and deep level transient Fourier spectroscopy (DLTFS) were measured from the devices. The results demonstrate a significant reduction in the density of deep levels in the devices fabricated with the GaN films grown with an ITBL. Compared to the control sample, which was grown with just a conventional LTBL, a three-order-of-magnitude reduction in the deep levels 0.4 eV below the conduction band minimum (Ec) is observed in the bulk of the thin films using DLTFS measurements.

ECR plasma in growth of cubic GaN by low pressure MOCVD

To heteroepitaxally grow the crystalline cubic-GaN (c-GaN) film on the substrates with large lattice mismatch is basically important for fabricating the blue or ultraviolet laser diodes based on cubic group III nitride materials. We have obtained the crystalline c-GaN film and the heteroepitaxial interface between c-Gan and GaAs (001) substrate by the ECR Plasma-Assisted Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (PA-MOCVD) under low-pressure and low-temperature (similar to600degreesC) on a homemade ECR-plasma Semiconductor Processing Device (ESPD). In order to decrease the growth temperature, the ECR plasma source was adopted as the activated nitrogen source, therefore the working pressure of MOCVD was decreased down to the region less than 1 Pa. To eliminate the damages from energetic ions of current plasma source, a Multi-cusp cavity,coupling ECR Plasma source (MEP) was selected to use in our experiment. To decrease the strain and dislocations induced from the large lattice mismatch between c-GaN and GaAs substrate, the plasma pretreatment procedure i.e., the initial growth technique was investigated The experiment arrangements, the characteristics of plasma and the growth procedure, the characteristics on-GaN film and interface between c-GaN and GaAs(001), and the roles of ECR plasma are described in this contribution.

Competition between band gap and yellow luminescence in undoped GaN grown by MOVPE on sapphire substrate

Undoped GaN epilayer on c-face (0 0 0 1) sapphire substrate has been grown by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE) in a horizontal-type low-pressure two-channel reactor. Photoluminescence (PL) as a function of temperature and excitation intensity have been systematically studied, and the competition between near band gap ultraviolet (UV) and defect-related yellow luminescence (YL) has been extensively investigated, It is revealed that the ratio of the UV-to-YL peak intensities depends strongly on the excitation intensity and the measurement temperature. The obtained results have been analyzed in comparison with the theoretical predications based on a bimolecular model. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

AlGaN layers grown on AlGaN buffer layer and GaN buffer layer using strain-relief interlayers - art. no. 68410S

We investigated AlGaN layers grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on high temperature (HT-)GaN and AlGaN buffer layers. On GaN buffer layer, there are a lot of surface cracking because of tensile strain in subsequent AlGaN epilayers. On HT-AlGaN buffer layer, not only cracks but also high densities rounded pits present, which is related to the high density of coalescence boundaries in HT-AlGaN growth process.The insertion of interlayer (IL) between AlGaN and the GaN pseudosubstrate can not only avoid cracking by modifying the strain status of the epilayer structure, but also improved Al incorporation efficiency and lead to phase-separation. And we also found the growth temperature of IL is a critical parameter for crystalline quality of subsequent AlGaN epilayer. Low temperature (LT-) A1N IL lead to a inferior quality in subsequent AlGaN epilayers.