H. W. Choi

GaN micro-light-emitting diode arrays with monolithically integrated sapphire microlenses

GaN micro-light-emitting diodes (micro-LEDs) with monolithically integrated microlenses have been demonstrated. Microlenses, with a focal length of 44 μm and a root mean square roughness of ∼1 nm, have been fabricated on the polished back surface of a sapphire substrate of an array of micro-LEDs by resist thermal reflow and plasma etching. The optical properties of the microlenses have been demonstrated to alter the emission pattern of the LED emitters. The cone of light emitted from this hybrid device is significantly less divergent than a conventional broad-area device. This combination of micro-LED and microlens technologies offers the potential for further improvement in the overall efficiency of GaN-based light emitters.

Mechanism of enhanced light output efficiency in InGaN-based microlight emitting diodes

Micro-light emitting diode (LED) arrays with diameters of 4 to 20 μm have been fabricated and were found to be much more efficient light emitters compared to their broad-area counterparts, with up to five times enhancement in optical power densities. The possible mechanisms responsible for the improvement in performance were investigated. Strain relaxation in the microstructures as measured by Raman spectroscopy was not observed, arguing against theories of an increase in internal quantum efficiency due to a reduction of the piezoelectric field put forward by other groups. Optical microscope images show intense light emission at the periphery of the devices, as a result of light scattering off the etched sidewalls. This increases the extraction efficiency relative to broad area devices and boosts the forward optical output. In addition, spectra of the forward emitted light reveal the presence of resonant cavity modes [whispering gallery (WG) modes in particular] which appear to play a role in enhancing th...

High extraction efficiency InGaN micro-ring light-emitting diodes

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) based on an interconnected array of GaN/InGaN micro-ring elements have been demonstrated. The devices have electrical characteristics similar to those of conventional broad-area devices. However, due to the large surface areas provided by the sidewalls, the extraction efficiency is greatly enhanced. Intense light emission at the periphery of the micro-rings is observed upon excitation by an electron beam, suggesting scattering of the photons which are extracted through the sidewalls. The devices provide a doubling in total light output compared to a broad-area reference LED of equal light-generation area.

Lasing in GaN microdisks pivoted on Si

Arrays of pivoted GaN microdisks have been fabricated on a GaN∕Si material by a combination of dry and wet etching. The Si material beneath the GaN microdisks is removed by wet etching, leaving behind a fine pillar to support the disks. Raman spectroscopy reveals substantial strain relaxation in these structures. Resonant modes, corresponding to whispering gallery modes, are observed in the photoluminescence spectra. Stimulated emission is achieved at higher optical pumping intensities.

A Reliability Study on Green InGaN–GaN Light-Emitting Diodes

In this letter, the reliability of green InGaN-GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) has been analyzed by correlating the defect density of wafers with various device parameters, including leakage current, 1/f noise, and degradation rate. It was found that as the wavelength of green LEDs increases from 520 to 550 nm by increasing the indium content in the quantum wells, the defect density also increases, thus leading to larger leakage current, enhanced noise magnitude, and shortened device lifetime.

Plasma-induced damage to n-type GaN

The effects of plasma etching on 1/f noise and photoluminescence (PL) characteristics of n-GaN have been investigated. A reduction of 1/f noise was observed after plasma exposure, a result of enhanced passivation of the reactive surface. This is attributed to the removal of carbon and the creation of a Ga-rich surface by the etching process. Nevertheless, the formation of nonradiative recombination centers impaired the PL intensity. Reconstruction of a stoichiometric surface was achieved by annealing. This induced the incorporation of carbon into GaN, deteriorating the PL performance further, but it could be restored by a chemical treatment of 10:1 HF:H2O.

Reflection/transmission confocal microscopy characterization of single-crystal diamond microlens arrays

Using the method of photoresist reflow and inductively coupled plasma dry etching, we have fabricated microlens arrays in type-IIa natural single-crystal diamond, with diameters down to 10 μm. The surface profile of the microlenses was characterized by atomic force microscopy and was found to match well with a spherical shape, with a surface roughness of better than 1.2 nm. To characterize the optical properties of these diamond microlens arrays, a laser scanning reflection/transmission confocal microscopy technique has been developed. This technique enabled the surface profile of the microlenses to be measured simultaneously with optical parameters including focal length and spot size, opening up an application area for confocal microscopy.

Fabrication and performance of parallel-addressed InGaN micro-LED arrays

High-performance, two-dimensional arrays of parallel-addressed InGaN blue micro-light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with individual element diameters of 8, 12, and 20 /spl mu/m, respectively, and overall dimensions 490 /spl times/490 /spl mu/m, have been fabricated. In order to overcome the difficulty of interconnecting multiple device elements with sufficient step-height coverage for contact metallization, a novel scheme involving the etching of sloped-sidewalls has been developed. The devices have current-voltage (I-V) characteristics approaching those of broad-area reference LEDs fabricated from the same wafer, and give comparable (3-mW) light output in the forward direction to the reference LEDs, despite much lower active area. The external efficiencies of the micro-LED arrays improve as the dimensions of the individual elements are scaled down. This is attributed to scattering at the etched sidewalls of in-plane propagating photons into the forward direction.

Design of vertically-stacked polychromatic light-emitting diodes

A new design for a polychromatic light-emitting diode (LED) is proposed and demonstrated. LED chips of the primary colors are physically stacked on top of each other. Light emitted from each layer of the stack passes through each other, and thus is mixed naturally without additional optics. As a color-tunable device, a wide range of colors can be generated, making it suitable for display purposes. As a phosphor-free white light LED, luminous efficacy of 30 lm/watt was achieved.

Optically pumped ultraviolet lasing from nitride nanopillars at room temperature

A vertical cavity structure composing of an in situ grown bottom AlxGa1−xN/AlyGa1−yN distributed Bragg reflector and a top SiO2/HfO2 dielectric mirror for ultraviolet (UV) emission has been demonstrated. Close-packed nanopillars with diameters of around 500 nm have been achieved by the route of nanosphere lithography combined with inductively-coupled plasma etching. Optically-pumped UV lasing at a wavelength of 343.7 nm (3.608 eV) was observed at room temperature, with a threshold excitation density of 0.52 MW/cm2. The mechanism of the lasing action is discussed in detail. Our investigation indicates promising possibilities in nitride-based resonant cavity devices, particularly toward realizing the UV nitride-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser.