Enhancing the output power of GaN-based LEDs grown on wet-etched patterned sapphire substrates

GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with emitting wavelength of 450 nm were grown on patterned sapphire substrates (PSSs) fabricated by chemical wet etching. The crystallography-etched facet was {1-102} R-plane with a 57/spl deg/ against {0001} C-axis and had superior capability for enhancing light extraction efficiency. The light output power of the PSS LED was 1.15 times higher than that of the conventional LED at an injection current of 20 mA. The output power and external quantum efficiency were estimated to be 9 mW and 16.4%, respectively. The improvement was attributed not only to geometrical shapes of {1-102} crystallography-etched facets that efficiently scatter the guided light to find escape cones, but also to dislocation density reduction by adopting the PSS growth scheme.     

Efficiency improvement of near-ultraviolet InGaN LEDs using patterned sapphire substrates

The use of conventional and patterned sapphire substrates (PSSs) to fabricate InGaN-based near-ultraviolet (410 nm) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) was demonstrated. The PSS was prepared using a periodic hole pattern (diameter: 3 /spl mu/m; spacing: 3 /spl mu/m) on the (0001) sapphire with different etching depths. From transmission-electron-microscopy and etch-pit-density studies, the PSS with an optimum pattern depth (D/sub h/=1.5 /spl mu/m) was confirmed to be an efficient way to reduce the thread dislocations in the GaN microstructure. It was found that the output power increased from 8.6 to 10.4 mW, corresponding to about 29% increases in the external quantum efficiency. However, the internal quantum efficiency (@ 20 mA) was about 36% and 38% for the conventional and PSS LEDs, respectively. The achieved improvement of the output power is not only due to the improvement of the internal quantum efficiency upon decreasing the dislocation density, but also due to the enhancement of the extraction efficiency using the PSS. Finally, better long-time reliability of the PSS LED performance was observed.     

Enhanced luminescence from GaN-based blue LEDs grown on grooved sapphire substrates

Luminescence from GaN-based blue light-emitting diodes grown on grooved sapphire substrates was investigated using cathodoluminescence (CL) and electroluminescence (EL). The 60-nm-deep 2 (ridge) /spl times/4 /spl mu/m (trench) grooves along the <101~0> direction were created by BCl/sub 3/-Cl/sub 2/-based inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching. Stronger CL and EL from the trench regions of the grooves in GaN and InGaN-GaN multiquantum-wells were observed, confirming its better crystalline quality over the trench regions, further supported by the EL mapping results. Epitaxial lateral growth was believed to initiate from the ridge regions to cover the trench regions at the foremost stage of GaN growth that is similar to the coalescence of islands.     

Increased effective reflection and transmission at the GaN-sapphire interface of LEDs grown on patterned sapphire substrates

The effect of patterned sapphire substrate (PSS) on the top-surface (P-GaN-surface) and the bottom-surface (sapphire-surface) of the light output power (LOP) of GaN-based LEDs was investigated, in order to study the changes in reflection and transmission of the GaN-sapphire interface. Experimental research and computer simulations were combined to reveal a great enhancement in LOP from either the top or bottom surface of GaN-based LEDs, which are prepared on patterned sapphire substrates (PSS-LEDs). Furthermore, the results were compared to those of the conventional LEDs prepared on the planar sapphire substrates (CSS-LEDs). A detailed theoretical analysis was also presented to further support the explanation for the increase in both the effective reflection and transmission of PSS-GaN interface layers and to explain the causes of increased LOP values. Moreover, the bottom-surface of the PSS-LED chip shows slightly increased light output performance when compared to that of the top-surface. Therefore, the light extraction efficiency (LEE) can be further enhanced by integrating the method of PSS and flip-chip structure design.     

Improvement of the performance of GaN-based LEDs grown on sapphire substrates patterned by wet and ICP etching

Sapphire substrates patterned by a selective chemical wet and an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching technique was proposed to improve the performance of GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs). GaN-based LEDs were fabricated on sapphire substrates through metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The LEDs fabricated on the patterned substrates exhibit improved device performance compared with the conventional LED fabricated on planar substrates when growth and device fabricating conditions were the same. The light output powers of the LEDs fabricated on wet-patterned and ICP-patterned substrates were about 37% and 17% higher than that of LEDs on planar substrates at an injection current of 20 mA, respectively. The enhancement is attributable to the combination of the improvement of GaN-based epilayers quality and the improvement of the light extraction efficiency.     

Enhanced output power in GaN-based LEDs with naturally textured surface grown by MOCVD

GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with naturally textured surfaces grown by MOCVD were demonstrated. In this study, a growth-interruption step and a surface treatment using biscyclopentadienyl magnesium (CP/sub 2/Mg) were simultaneously performed to form a plurality of nuclei sites on the surface of a p-type cladding layer, and then a p-type contact layer was grown on the p-type cladding layer, so as to create a p-type contact layer with a rough surface having truncated pyramids. Experimental results indicated that GaN-based LED with the truncated pyramids on the surface exhibited an enhancement in output power of 66% at 20 mA. It is worth noting that the typical 20-mA-driven forward voltage is only slightly higher than those of conventional LEDs (without the Mg-treatment process).     

在蓝宝石图形衬底上生长低穿透性位错的GaN薄膜

使用MOCVD外延系统,采用3D-2D生长模式在圆锥图形蓝宝石衬底上生长GaN薄膜。研究发现3D-2D生长模式能够有效的减少GaN薄膜的穿透性位错,其中3D GaN层的生长条件是关键：低V/III比,低温和高生长压力。为了进一步减少TD,3D GaN层的厚度应该与图形衬底上的图形高度接近。当3D GaN层生长结束时,3D GaN层把图形衬底的图形围在其中,具有倾斜的侧壁和（0001）向的上表面,而图形上基本没有沉积物。在接下来的2D生长过程里,GaN沿倾斜侧面快速生长,使得侧面上的穿透性位错产生弯曲,从而减少GaN薄膜的穿透性位错。经过对3D条件的优化,GaN薄膜的穿透性位错降低到1×108cm-2,XRD测试得到的（002）,（102）半宽分别达到211弧秒和219弧秒。     

Enhanced output power of InGaN-GaN light-emitting diodes with high-transparency nickel-oxide-indium-tin-oxide Ohmic contacts

This study develops a highly transparent nickel-oxide (NiO/sub x/)-indium-tin-oxide (ITO) transparent Ohmic contact with excellent current spreading for p-GaN to increase the optical output power of nitride-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The NiO/sub x/-ITO transparent Ohmic contact layer was prepared by electron beam in-situ evaporation without postdeposition annealing. Notably, the transmittance of the NiO/sub x/-ITO exceeds 90% throughout the visible region of the spectrum and approaches 98% at 470 nm. Moreover, GaN LED chips with dimensions of 300 /spl times/ 300 /spl mu/m fabricated with the NiO/sub x/-ITO transparent Ohmic contact were developed and produced a low forward voltage of 3.4 V under a nominal forward current of 20 mA and a high optical output power of 6.6 mW. The experimental results indicate that NiO/sub x/-ITO bilayer Ohmic contact with excellent current spreading and high transparency is suitable for fabricating high-brightness GaN-based light-emitting devices.     

Improvement of near-ultraviolet InGaN-GaN light-emitting diodes through higher pressure grown underlying GaN layers

The 410-nm near-ultraviolet (near-UV) InGaN-GaN multiple quantum-wells light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with low-pressure-grown (200 mbar) and high-pressure-grown (400 mbar) Si-doped GaN underlying layers were grown on c-face sapphire substrates by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy. Increasing the growth pressure during the initial growth of the underlying n-type GaN epilayers of the near-UV InGaN-GaN LEDs was found to reduce the amount of threading dislocations that originated from the GaN-sapphire interfaces. The electroluminescence intensity of LEDs with underlying GaN layers grown at a higher pressure was nearly five times larger than that of LED with layers grown at lower pressure. Additionally, two-order reduction of leakage current was also induced for the LEDs grown at a higher pressure.     

基于蓝宝石纳米图形衬底上氮化镓生长的研究

利用两步生长法在蓝宝石纳米图形衬底（NPSS）上生长得到高质量的氮化镓薄膜。通过XRD和SEM对薄膜质量的表征和研究发现,为得到高质量的氮化镓（GaN）薄膜,在NPSS上生长时得到的最优缓冲层厚度为15nm,而在微米级尺寸的图形衬底（MPSS）上得到的最优缓冲层厚度远大于15nm。同时,在NPSS上生长氮化镓薄膜的过程中观察到一个有趣的现象,即GaN在NPSS上生长的初始阶段,氮化镓晶粒主要在图形之间的平面区域生长,极少量的GaN在衬底图形的侧面上聚集生长。这一有趣的现象明显不同于GaN在MPSS上的生长过程。接着,又在NPSS上生长了GaN基LED结构,并对其光电性能进行了研究。     

Enhanced output power in an InGaN-GaN multiquantum-welllight-emitting diode with an InGaN current-spreading layer

InGaN-GaN multiple quantum-well (MQW) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with InGaN current-spreading layer were grown by metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE) and their characteristics were evaluated by current-voltage (I-V), as well as output power measurements. Experimental results indicate that the LEDs exhibited a higher output power and a lower operation voltage than that of conventional LEDs. The external quantum efficiency of InGaN-GaN MQW LEDs for bare chips operated at injection current of 20 mA with InGaN current spreading layer near 5%. This is two times higher than that of conventional LEDs. This could be tentatively attributed to the better current-spreading effect resulting from Si-doped In_0.18Ga_0.82N wide potential well in which electron states are not quantized     

图形蓝宝石基GaN性能的研究

在相同的腐蚀温度下,通过控制对蓝宝石衬底的化学腐蚀时间,以研究其对GaN光学性质的影响.测试结果表明:对蓝宝石衬底腐蚀50 min后,外延生长的GaN薄膜晶体质量及光学质量最优,x射线摇摆曲线中.其(0002)面及(10-12)面的半峰全宽分别降低至202.68 arcsec,300.24 arcsec.透射光谱中,其透射率最高,调制深度最大;光致发光谱的近带边发射峰强度最强,其半高全宽也降低到6.7 nm,几乎看不到任何黄光带.     

Improvement of near-ultraviolet InGaN-GaN light-emitting diodes with an AlGaN electron-blocking layer grown at low temperature

The 400-nm near-ultraviolet InGaN-GaN multiple quantum well light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with Mg-doped AlGaN electron-blocking (EB) layers of various configurations and grown under various conditions, were grown on sapphire substrates by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy system. LEDs with AlGaN EB layers grown at low temperature (LT) were found more effectively to prevent electron overflow than conventional LEDs with an AlGaN one grown at high temperature (HT). The electroluminescent intensity of LEDs with an LT-grown AlGaN layer was nearly three times greater than that of LEDs with an HT-grown AlGaN. Additionally, the LEDs with an LT-grown AlGaN layer in H/sub 2/ ambient were found to increase the leakage current by three orders of magnitude and reduce the efficiency of emission.     

图形化蓝宝石衬底结构对GaN基LED发光性能的影响

为了研究图形化蓝宝石衬底(PSS)的结构和形貌对GaN基发光二极管(LED)光学性能的影响,对PSS的制备工艺和参数进 行了调控,从而 形成具有不同填充因子的蒙古包形PSS(HPSS)和金字塔形PSS(TPSS)两种衬底,用于生长 和制备蓝光LED 芯片。通过对TPSS-LED的光学性能测试和分析得到,随着PSS填充因子的增大, LED的 光输出功 率也增大;进而比较具有相同填充因子的HPSS和TPSS的光学性能表明,HPSS明显优于TPSS。 因此, PSS填充因子的增大,能够提高LED的光输出功率;优化PSS的结构可以改善LED中光出射途径 ,从而更有效提高LED的光发射效率。     

Investigation of light output performance for gallium nitride-based light-emitting diodes grown on different shapes of patterned sapphire substrate

GaN-based blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on various patterned sapphire substrates (PSSs) are investigated in detail. Hemispherical and triangular pyramidal PSSs have been applied to improve the performance of LEDs compared with conventional LEDs grown on planar sapphire substrate. The structural, electrical, and optical properties of these LEDs are investigated. The leakage current is related to the crystalline quality of epitaxial GaN films, and it is improved by using the PSS technique. The light output power and emission efficiency of the LED grown on triangular pyramidal PSS with optimized fill factor show the best performance in all the samples, which indicates that the pattern structure and fill factor of the PSS are related to the capability of light extraction.     

基于图形衬底生长的GaN位错机制分析

采用缺陷选择性腐蚀法结合光学显微镜及原子力显微镜(AFM)对金属有机化合物气相外延(MOVPE)在蓝宝石图形衬底(PSS)上生长的非掺杂GaN体材料的位错产生机制进行了研究,分析结果表明,位错来源于三个方面:一是"二步法"生长机制引入的位错;二是是由于图形衬底上不同区域GaN晶体相互连接时由于晶面不连续所造成的位错群;三是由于图形衬底制作工艺过程中引入的表面污染与损伤.     

Enhanced-performance of AlGaN-GaN HEMTs grown on grooved sapphire substrates

We report significantly improved dc characteristics and RF performance of AlGaN-GaN HEMTs grown on grooved sapphire substrates. Grooves 60 nm deep with 2-/spl mu/m-wide ridges and 4-/spl mu/m-wide trenches were created along the <101~0> orientation of the substrate by inductively coupled-plasma reactive ion etching. Device mesas were defined over the trench regions where superior crystalline quality was observed by other characterization techniques. Compared to conventional HEMTs grown on the planar area, the devices on the grooved substrate show increased drain saturation current and peak transconductance. Their reverse gate leakage current is over three orders of magnitude lower. These devices also show increased off-state breakdown voltage with hard breakdown characteristics. For nominal 1-/spl mu/m-gate-length HEMTs, the best current gain and power gain cutoff frequencies were 15 and 54 GHz, respectively. The on-wafer output power, gain, and power-added efficiency of an unpassivated device measured at 4 GHz were 3.26 W/mm, 25.7 dB, and 55.6%. The enhanced performance is attributed to low-density mixed dislocations and high crystalline quality over the trench regions.     

A 4.69-W/mm output power density InAIN/GaN HEMT grown on sapphire substrate

We report high performance InAlN/GaN HEMTs grown on sapphire substrates.The lattice-matched InAlN/GaN HEMT sample showed a high 2DEG mobility of 1210 cm2/(V.s)under a sheet density of 2.6 ×1013 cm-2.Large signal load-pull measurements for a(2 × 100 μm)× 0.25 μm device have been conducted with a drain voltage of 24 V at 10 GHz.The presented results confirm the high performances reachable by InAlN-based technology with an output power density of 4.69 W/mm,a linear gain of 11.8 dB and a peak power-added efficiency of 48％.This is the first report of high performance InA1N/GaN HEMTs in mainland China.     

A 4.69-W/mm output power density InAlN/GaN HEMT grown on sapphire substrate

We report high performance InAlN/GaN HEMTs grown on sapphire substrates.The lattice-matched InAlN/GaN HEMT sample showed a high 2DEG mobility of 1210 cm²/（V·s） under a sheet density of 2.6×10¹³ cm^-2.Large signal load-pull measurements for a（2×100μm）×0.25μm device have been conducted with a drain voltage of 24 V at 10 GHz.The presented results confirm the high performances reachable by InAlN-based technology with an output power density of 4.69 W/mm,a linear gain of 11.8 dB and a peak power-added efficiency of 48%.This is the first report of high performance InAlN/GaN HEMTs in mainland China.     

蓝宝石衬底上输出功率密度为4.69W/mm的InAlN/GaN HEMT

We report high performance InAlN/GaN HEMTs grown on sapphire substrates. The lattice-matched InAlN/GaN HEMT sample showed a high 2DEG mobility of 1210 cm²/(V·s) under a sheet density of 2.6 × 10¹³ cm^-2. Large signal load-pull measurements for a (2 × 100 μm) × 0.25 μm device have been conducted with a drain voltage of 24 V at 10 GHz. The presented results confirm the high performances reachable by InAlN-based technology with an output power density of 4.69 W/mm, a linear gain of 11.8 dB and a peak power-added efficiency of 48%. This is the first report of high performance InAlN/GaN HEMTs in mainland China.