J. M. Tsai

400-nm InGaN-GaN and InGaN-AlGaN multiquantum well light-emitting diodes

The 400-nm In/sub 0.05/Ga/sub 0.95/N-GaN MQW light-emitting diode (LED) structure and In/sub 0.05/Ga/sub 0.95/N-Al/sub 0.1/Ga/sub 0.9/N LED structure were both prepared by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy. It was found that the use of Al/sub 0.1/Ga/sub 0.9/N as the material for barrier layers would not degrade crystal quality of the epitaxial layers. It was also found that the 20-mA electroluminescence intensity of InGaN-AlGaN multiquantum well (MQW) LED was two times larger than that of the InGaN-GaN MQW LED. The larger maximum output intensity and the fact that maximum output intensity occurred at larger injection current suggest that AlGaN barrier layers can provide a better carrier confinement and effectively reduce leakage current.

Nitride-based LEDs with 800/spl deg/C grown p-AlInGaN-GaN double-cap layers

GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with various p-cap layers were prepared. It was found that surface morphologies of the LEDs with 800/spl deg/C grown cap layers were rough due to the low lateral growth rate of GaN. It was also found that 20-mA forward voltage of the LED with 800/spl deg/C grown p-AlInGaN-GaN double-cap layer was only 3.05 V. Furthermore, it was found that we could achieve a high output power and a long lifetime by using the 800/spl deg/C grown p-AlInGaN-GaN double-cap layer.

Improved ESD protection by combining InGaN-GaN MQW LEDs with GaN Schottky diodes

GaN Schottky diodes were built internally inside the GaN green LEDs by using etching and redeposition techniques. By properly selecting the etching areas underneath the bonding pads, one can minimize the optical loss due to the etching process. Although the reverse current and the forward turn-on voltage were both higher for the GaN LED with a Schottky diode, it was found that the internal Schottky diode could significantly increase the electrostatic discharge threshold from 450 to 1300 V.

In0.23Ga0.77N/GaN MQW LEDs with a low temperature GaN cap layer

Abstract Mg-doped p-GaN epitaxial layers prepared at different temperatures were prepared and characterized. It was found that we could achieve a higher hole concentration and a rough surface by reducing the growth temperature down to 800 °C. In 0.23 Ga 0.77 N/GaN multiquantum well (MQW) light emitting diodes (LEDs) with such a low 800 °C-grown p-GaN cap layer were also fabricated. It was found that we could enhance the LED output intensity by more than 90% with the low 800 °C-grown p-GaN cap layer, as compared to the conventional high 1000 °C-grown p-GaN cap layer.

GaN Schottky barrier photodetectors with a low-temperature GaN cap layer

By using organometallic vapor phase epitaxy, we have prepared i-GaN/low-temperature (LT) GaN/Ni/Au (sample A) and i-GaN/Ni/Au (sample B) Schottky barrier UV photodiodes (PDs). It was found that we could significantly reduce the leakage current and achieve a much larger photocurrent to dark current contrast ratio by introducing a LT GaN on top of the conventional nitride-based UV PDs. With incident light wavelength of 350 nm and a −1 V reverse bias, it was found that the measured responsivity was around 0.1 and 0.37 A/W for samples A and B, respectively. Furthermore, it was found that the operation speed of sample A is slower than that of sample B due to the highly resistive LT–GaN layer induced large RC time constant.

InGaN-GaN MQW LEDs with Si treatment

Surface morphologies of the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition-grown p-GaN layers with and without Si treatment were investigated by atomic force microscope and scanning electron microscope. It was found that Si treatment resulted in a much rougher sample surface due to the formation of a thin Si/sub x/N/sub y/ layer. It was also found that forward voltage of the Si-treated InGaN-GaN light-emitting diode (LED) was slightly higher than that of conventional LED without Si treatment. However, it was also found that such Si treatment could also result in a much larger LED output intensity.

Characterization of GaN Schottky barrier photodetectors with a low-temperature GaN cap layer

By using organometallic vapor phase epitaxy we have prepared i-GaN/low temperature (LT) GaN/Ni/Au (sample A) and i-GaN/Ni/Au (sample B) Schottky barrier ultraviolet (UV) photodiodes (PDs). It was found that we could significantly reduce leakage current and achieve a much larger photocurrent to dark current contrast ratio by introducing a LT GaN on top of the conventional nitride-based UV PDs. With an incident light wavelength of 350 nm and a −1 V reverse bias, it was found that the measured responsivity was around 0.1 and 0.37 A/W for samples A and B, respectively. Furthermore, it was found that the operation speed of sample A is slower than that of sample B due to the highly resistive LT GaN layer induced large RC time constant.

High brightness InGaN green LEDs with an ITO on n/sup ++/-SPS upper contact

Indium tin oxide (ITO) (260 nm) and Ni (5 nm)/Au (10 nm) films were deposited onto glass substrates, p-GaN layers, n/sup +/-InGaN/GaN short-period-superlattice (SPS), n/sup ++/-SPS and nitride-based green light-emitting diodes (LEDs). It was found that ITO could provide us an extremely high transparency (i.e., 95% at 520 nm). It was also found that the 1.03/spl times/10/sup -3/ /spl Omega/cm/sup 2/ specific contact resistance of ITO on n/sup ++/-SPS was reasonably small. Although the forward voltage of the LED with ITO on n/sup ++/-SPS upper contacts was slightly higher than that of the LED with Ni/Au on n/sup ++/-SPS upper contacts, the 20 mA output power and external quantum efficiency of the former could reach 4.98 mW and 8.2%, respectively, which were much larger than the values observed from the latter. The reliability of ITO on n/sup ++/-SPS upper contacts was also found to be reasonably good.

Nitride-based light-emitting diodes with p-AlInGaN surface layers

We have prepared bulk p-AlInGaN layers and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with p-AlInGaN surface layers by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. By properly control the TMAl and TMIn flow rates, we could match the lattice constant of p-AlInGaN to that of GaN. It was found that surface of the LED with p-AlInGaN layer was rough with a high density of hexagonal pits. Although the forward voltage of the LED with p-AlInGaN layer was slightly larger, it was found that we can enhance the output power by 54% by using p-AlInGaN surface layer.

Si and Zn co-doped InGaN-GaN white light-emitting diodes

InGaN-GaN double heterostructure (DH) and multiquantum-well (MQW) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with Si and Zn co-doped active well layers were prepared by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). It was found that we could observe a broad long-wavelength donor-acceptor (D-A) pair-related emission at 500/spl sim/560 nm. White light can thus be achieved by the combination of such a long-wavelength D-A pair emission with the InGaN band-edge-related blue emission. By increasing the DMZn mole flow rate to 360 nmole/min, we could achieve a Si and Zn co-doped In/sub 0.3/Ga/sub 0.7/N-GaN MQW LED with color temperature of 4100 K, color rendering index of 70, and color coordinates x=0.383, y=0.405. It was also found that the 20-mA forward voltage and the breakdown voltage of such Si and Zn co-doped In/sub 0.3/Ga/sub 0.7/N-GaN MQW LEDs were both smaller than those of the conventional phosphor-converted white LEDs.