Influence of GaN material characteristics on device performance for blue and ultraviolet light-emitting diodes

An analysis of blue and near-ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and material structures explores the dependence of device performance on material properties as measured by various analytical techniques. The method used for reducing dislocations in the epitaxial III-N films that is explored here is homoepitaxial growth on commercial hybride vapor-phase epitaxy (HVPE) GaN substrates. Blue and UV LED devices are demonstrated to offer superior performance when grown on GaN substrates as compared to the more conventional sapphire substrate. In particular, the optical analysis of the near-UV LEDs on GaN versus ones on sapphire show substantially higher light output over the entire current-injection regime and twice the internal quantum efficiency at low forward current. As the wavelength is further decreased to the deep-UV, the performance improvement of the homoepitaxially grown structure as compared to that grown on sapphire is enhanced.     

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.     

GaN外延用蓝宝石衬底的图形化研究进展

因蓝宝石具有良好的稳定性能,且其生产技术成熟,是目前异质外延GaN应用最广泛的衬底材料之一.采用图形化蓝宝石衬底技术可以降低GaN外延层材料的位错密度,提高LED的内量子效率,同时提高LED出光效率提高,近年来引起了国内外的广泛关注.概述了图形化蓝宝石衬底的研究进展,包括图形化蓝宝石衬底的制备工艺、图形尺寸、图形形状及图形化蓝宝石衬底的作用机理;详细介绍了凹槽状、圆孔状、圆锥形、梯形和半球状5种图形形状,并分析了GaN材料在不同图形形状的图形化蓝宝石衬底上的生长机理及不同图形形状对GaN基LED器件性能的影响.对图形化蓝宝石衬底技术的研究方向进行了展望,提出了亟待研究和解决的问题.     

Lifetime Tests and Junction-Temperature Measurement of InGaN Light-Emitting Diodes Using Patterned Sapphire Substrates

The authors demonstrate nitride-based blue light-emitting diodes with an InGaN/GaN (460 nm) multiple quantum-well structure on the patterned sapphire substrates (PSSs) compared with conventional sapphire substrates (CSSs) using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. According to full-width at half-maximum of high-resolution X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy micrographs, the dislocation density of GaN epilayers grown on the PSS was lower than those of the CSS. It was found that the output power of devices on PSS was 26% larger than that of CSS. The lifetime defined by 50% loss in output power was 590 and 305 h at 85 degC for the PSS and CSS, respectively. It was also found that the junction temperature and thermal resistance were smaller for the PSS. These improvements are attributed to the reduction in dislocation density using PSS structure     

GaN-based light emitting diodes on nano-hole patterned sapphire substrate prepared by three-beam laser interference lithography

Nano-hole patterned sapphire substrates (NHPSSs) were successfully prepared using a low-cost and high-efficiency approach, which is the laser interference lithography (LIL) combined with reactive ion etching (RIE) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) techniques. Gallium nitride (GaN)-based light emitting diode (LED) structure was grown on NHPSS by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Photoluminescence (PL) measurement was conducted to compare the luminescence efficiency of the GaN-based LED structure grown on NHPSS (NHPSS-LED) and that on unpatterned sapphire substrates (UPSS-LED). Electroluminescence (EL) measurement shows that the output power of NHPSS-LED is 2.3 times as high as that of UPSS-LED with an injection current of 150 mA. Both PL and EL results imply that NHPSS has an advantage in improving the crystalline quality of GaN epilayer and light extraction efficiency of LEDs at the same time.     

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.     

纳米异质外延层与衬底的晶体取向匹配的电子背散射衍射分析

本文采用电子背散射衍射（EBSD）,测量纳米异质外延层的织构,及外延层与衬底的晶体取向匹配。测试的材料包括作为YBCO超导膜的过渡层、生长在强立方织构Ni-5at.%W（Ni-W）衬底上的La2Zr2O7（LZO）外延层,及LED器件中生长在蓝宝石衬底上的GaN过渡层和外延层。EBSD测量出LZO外延层具有旋转立方织构,显示出LZO与Ni-W衬底的面内取向（转动45°）及面外取向（沿[001]方向）的匹配关系。EBSD测量出GaN过渡层与蓝宝石衬底的面内取向（转动30°）的匹配关系,显示出由GaN过渡层的晶格畸变而引入的平行于外延生长方向的弹性应变梯度（约500 nm）。     

MBE growth and properties of ZnO on sapphire and SiC substrates

Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) of ZnO on both sapphire and SiC substrates has been demonstrated. ZnO was used as a buffer layer for the epitaxial growth of GaN. ZnO is a würtzite crystal with a close lattice match (<2% mismatch) to GaN, an energy gap of 3.3 eV at room temperature, a low predicted conduction band offset to both GaN and SiC, and high electron conductivity. ZnO is relatively soft compared to the nitride semiconductors and is expected to act as a compliant buffer layer. Inductively coupled radio frequency plasma sources were used to generate active beams of nitrogen and oxygen for MBE growth. Characterization of the oxygen plasma by optical emission spectroscopy clearly indicated significant dissociation of O₂ into atomic oxygen. Reflected high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) of the ZnO growth surface showed a two-dimensional growth. ZnO layers had n-type carrier concentration of 9 × 10¹⁸ cm⁻³ with an electron mobility of 260 cm²/V-s. Initial I-V measurements displayed ohmic behavior across the SiC/ZnO and the ZnO/GaN heterointerfaces. RHEED of GaN growth by MBE on the ZnO buffer layers also exhibited a two-dimensional growth. We have demonstrated the viability of using ZnO as a buffer layer for the MBE growth of GaN.     

Enhanced output power of near-ultraviolet InGaN-GaN LEDs grown on patterned sapphire substrates

Near-ultraviolet nitride-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with peak emission wavelengths around 410 nm were fabricated onto c-face patterned sapphire substrates (PSS). It was found that the electroluminescence intensity of the PSS LED shown 63% larger than that of the conventional LED. For a typical lamp-form PSS LED operating at a forward current of 20 mA, the output power and external quantum efficiency were estimated to be 10.4 mW and 14.1%, respectively. The improvement in the light intensity could be attributed to the decrease of threading dislocations and the increase of light extraction efficiency in the horizontal direction using a PSS.     

2×25.4 mm GaN LED外延膜的激光剥离及其衬底的重复利用

利用激光剥离技术实现直径为50.8 mm CaN LED外延膜的大面积完整剥离.激光剥离后的原子力显微镜(AFM)扫描和X射线双晶衍射谱(XRD)表明剥离前后外延膜的质量并未明显改变.并报道了在剥离掉后的蓝宝石(α-Al2O3)衬底上MOCVD外延生长InGaN/CaN多量子阱(MQW's)LED器件结构,通过光致发光谱(PL)和XRD谱对比分析了在相同条件下剥离掉后衬底与常规衬底上生长的CaN LED外延膜晶体质量.     

GaN-Based LEDs With Mesh ITO p-Contact and Nanopillars

In this letter, the authors report the fabrication of GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with mesh indium-tin-oxide p-contact and nanopillars on patterned sapphire substrate. Using hydrothermal ZnO nanorods as the etching hard mask, the authors successfully formed vertical GaN nanopillars inside the mesh regions and on the mesa-etched regions. It was found that 20-mA forward voltage and reverse leakage currents observed from the proposed LED were only slightly larger than those observed from the conventional LEDs. It was also found that output power of the proposed LED was more than 80% larger than that observed from conventional LED prepared on flat sapphire substrate.     

GaN基LED与Si键合技术的研究

采用金属键合技术结合激光剥离技术将GaN基LED从蓝宝石衬底成功转移到Si衬底上。利用X射线光电子谱(XPS)研究不同阻挡层对Au向GaN扩散所起的阻挡作用,确定键合所需的金属过渡层。利用多层金属过渡层,在真空、温度400℃和加压300 N下实现GaN基LED和Si的键合,通过激光剥离技术将蓝宝石衬底从键合结构上剥离下来,形成GaN基LED/金属层/Si结构。用金相显微镜及原子力显微镜(AFM)观察结构的表面形貌,测得表面粗糙度(RMS)为12.1 nm。X射线衍射(XRD)和Raman测试结果表明,衬底转移后,GaN基LED的结构及其晶体质量没有发生明显变化,而且GaN与蓝宝石衬底间的压应力得到了释放,使得Si衬底上GaN基LED的电致发光(EL)波长发生红移现象。     

利用高频Plasma CVD在蓝宝石衬底上生长 立方GaN缓冲层及其光学性质

研究了采用高频PlasmaCVD技术在较低温度下(300—400℃)生长以GaN为基的Ⅲ-Ⅴ族氮化物的可行性,在蓝宝石衬底上生长了GaN缓冲层.热处理后的光致发光谱和X光衍射表明,生长的GaN缓冲层为立方相,带边峰位于3.15eV.在作者实验的范围内,最优化的TMGa流量为0.08sccm(TMAm=10sccm时),XPS分析结果表明此时的Ga/N比为1.03.这是第一次在高Ⅴ/Ⅲ比下得到立方GaN.相同条件下石英玻璃衬底上得到的立方GaN薄膜,黄光峰很弱,晶体质量较好.     

溅射AlN技术对GaN基LED性能的影响

研究了在图形蓝宝石衬底(PSS)上利用磁控溅射制备AlN薄膜的相关技术,随后通过采用金属有机化学气相沉积(MOCVD)在相关AlN薄膜上生了长GaN基LED.通过一系列对比实验,分析了AlN薄膜的制备条件对GaN外延层晶体质量的影响,研究了AlN薄膜溅射前N2预处理功率和溅射后热处理温度对GaN基LED性能的作用机制.实验结果表明:AlN薄膜厚度的增加,导致GaN缓冲层成核密度逐渐升高和GaN外延膜螺位错密度降低刃位错密度升高;N2处理功率的提升会加剧衬底表面晶格损伤,在GaN外延膜引入更多的螺位错;AlN热处理温度的升高粗化了表面并提高了GaN成核密度,使得GaN外延膜螺位错密度降低刃位错密度升高;而这些GaN外延膜位错密度的变化又进一步影响到LED的光电特性.     

Study of GaN-Based Light-Emitting Diodes Grown on Chemical Wet-Etching-Patterned Sapphire Substrate With V-Shaped Pits Roughening Surfaces

We investigate the mechanism responding for performance enhancement of gallium nitride (GaN)-based light-emitting diode (LED) grown on chemical wet-etching-patterned sapphire substrate (CWE-PSS) with V-Shaped pit features on the top surface. According to temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) measurement and the measured external quantum efficiency, the structure can simultaneously enhance both internal quantum efficiency and light extraction efficiency. Comparing to devices grown on planar sapphire substrate, the threading dislocation defects of LED grown on CWE-PSS are reduced from 1.28 times 10⁹/cm² to 3.62 times 10⁸/cm², leading to a 12.5% enhancement in internal quantum efficiency. In terms of the theoretical computing of radiation patterns, the V-Shaped pits roughening surface can be thought of as a strong diffuser with paraboloidal autocorrelation function, increasing the escape probability of trapped photons and achieving a 20% enhancement in light extraction efficiency. Moreover, according to the measurement of optical diffraction power, CWE-PSS demonstrated superior guided light extraction efficiency than that of planar sapphire substrate, thus an extra 7.8% enhancement in light extraction efficiency was obtained. Therefore, comparing to the conventional LED, an overall 45% enhancement in integrated output power was achieved.     

Laser lift-off technique and the re-utilization of GaN-based LED films grown on sapphire substrate

A thin GaN LED film, grown on 2-inch-diameter sapphire substrates, is separated by laser lift-off. Atom force microscopy （AFM） and the double-crystal X-ray diffraction （XRD） have been employed to characterize the performance of Gan before and after the lift-off process. It is demonstrated that the separation and transfer processes do not alter the crystal quality of the GaN films obviously. InGaN/GaN multi-quantum-wells （MQW＇s） structure is grown on the separated sapphire substrate later and is compared with that grown on the conventional substmte under the same condition by using PL and XRD spectrum.     

Fabrication of extremely thermal-stable GaN template on Mo substrate using double bonding and step annealing process

A new layer transfer technique which comprised double bonding and a step annealing process was utilized to transfer the GaN epilayer from a sapphire substrate to a Mo substrate. Combined with the application of the thermal-stable bonding medium, the resulting two-inch-diameter GaN template showed extremely good stability under high temperature and low stress state. Moreover, no cracks and winkles were observed. The transferred GaN template was suitable for homogeneous epitaxial, thus could be used for the direct fabrication of vertical LED chips as well as power electron devices. It has been confirmed that the double bonding and step annealing technique together with the thermal-stable bonding layer could significantly improve the bonding strength and stress relief, finally enhancing the thermal stability of the transferred GaN template.     

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.     

Light Extraction Efficiency Enhancement of GaN Blue LED by Liquid-Phase-Deposited ZnO Rods

We investigate the light extraction efficiency of a GaN light-emitting diode (LED) by using liquid-phase-deposited ZnO rods at near-room temperature. Zinc nitrate and hexamethylenetetramine were used as the deposition precursors. Compared with the conventional GaN LED, the optical power output of the GaN LED with crystalline ZnO rods on its surface has about 1.6 times enhancement.     

GaN Light-Emitting Diode with Deep-Angled Mesa Sidewalls for Enhanced Light Emission in the Surface-Normal Direction

We have fabricated and characterized GaN LED devices whose mesa sidewalls are intentionally made deep and angled. The angled sidewalls efficiently deflect the photons guided laterally along the GaN epitaxial (epi) layer to a direction normal to the surface via total internal reflection. Regardless of the sidewall angle, the sidewall-deflector-integrated (SDI) LEDs exhibit significant enhancement in the light output from the device surface. The largest enhancement, which occurs when the mesa sidewall angle is about 30deg, is greater than 2times. Computer simulations based on ray optics correctly reproduce the sidewall angle dependence of the enhancement factor. Near-field emission patterns as well as space-resolved electroluminescence spectra also support that the enhancement in the light output is due to those additional photons that are guided laterally and deflected by the angled mesa sidewalls.