J. R. Chen

Temperature-Dependent Electroluminescence Efficiency in Blue InGaN–GaN Light-Emitting Diodes With Different Well Widths

Temperature dependence of electroluminescence (EL) efficiency in blue InGaN-GaN multiple-quantum-well (MQW) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with different well widths is systematically investigated. The EL efficiency at 300 K shows a maximum at the input current of 4, 10, and 60 mA for the LEDs with 1.5-, 2.0-, and 2.5-nm QWs, respectively. Nevertheless, the droop behavior at 80 K is mainly dominated by the low hole mobility and near independence on the QW thickness. According to the simulation results, it is found that the distinct efficiency droop behavior for the LEDs with different well widths at high and low temperature is strongly dependent on the effects of electron overflow and nonuniform hole distribution within the MQW region.

Room temperature polariton lasing vs. photon lasing in a ZnO-based hybrid microcavity

We report on the room temperature polariton lasing and photon lasing in a ZnO-based hybrid microcavity under optical pumping. A series of experimental studies of the polariton lasing (exciton-photon detunings of δ = -119 meV) in the strong-coupling regime are discussed and compared to a photon lasing (δ = -45 meV) in the weak-coupling regime obtained in the same structure. The measured threshold power density (31.8 kW/cm2) of polariton lasing is one order of magnitude lower than that of the photon lasing (318.2 kW/cm2). In addition, the comparison between polariton lasing and photon lasing is done in terms of the linewidth broadening, blue-shift of the emission peak, and polarization.

Characteristics of exciton-polaritons in ZnO-based hybrid microcavities

Wide bandgap semiconductors are promising materials for the development of polariton-based optoelectronic devices operating at room temperature (RT). We report the characteristics of ZnO-based microcavities (MCs) in the strong coupling regime at RT with a vacuum Rabi splitting of 72 meV. The impact of scattering states of excitons on polariton dispersion is investigated. Only the lower polariton branches (LPBs) can be clearly observed in ZnO MCs since the large vacuum Rabi splitting pushes the upper polariton branches (UPBs) into the scattering absorption states in the ZnO bulk active region. In addition, we systematically investigate the polariton relaxation bottleneck in bulk ZnO-based MCs. Angle-resolved photoluminescence measurements are performed from 100 to 300 K for different cavity-exciton detunings. A clear polariton relaxation bottleneck is observed at low temperature and large negative cavity detuning conditions. The bottleneck is suppressed with increasing temperature and decreasing detuning, due to more efficient phonon-assisted relaxation and a longer radiative lifetime of the polaritons.

Exciton-polaritons study in ZnO-based hybrid microcavities

The characteristics of exciton-polaritons in ZnO-based microcavities (MCs) are demonstrated with a large vacuum Rabi splitting due to large exciton binding energy and oscillator strength. The lower polariton branches (LPBs) can be clearly observed. For low temperature and large negative detuning conditions, a clear polariton relaxation bottleneck in bulk ZnO-based MCs has been observed in angle-resolved photoluminescence measurements from 100 to 353 K at different cavity-exciton detunings. The bottleneck is strongly suppressed with increasing the temperature and pumping power and reducing detuning. This observed results supposed to be due to more efficient phonon-assisted relaxation and a longer radiative lifetime of the polaritons. In addition, the linewidth broadening, blue-shift of the emission peak, and polarization of polariton lasing from below threshold to up threshold are also discussed.

Light Emission Enhancement of GaN-Based Photonic Crystal With Ultraviolet AlN/AlGaN Distributed Bragg Reflector

In this study, we demonstrated two-dimensional (2-D) photonic crystal band-edge coupling operation in the ultraviolet wavelength range. The light extraction enhancement was obtained from the photonic crystal structure with an ultraviolet AlN/AlGaN distributed Bragg reflector (UVDBR). The DBR provides a high reflectivity of 85%with15-nmstopbandwidth.Afivefold enhance- ment in photoluminescence emission was also achieved compared with the emission from the unpatterned area on the same sample at 374 nm wavelength. We also study the photonic crystal band- edge coupling with finite-difference time-domain and plane-wave expansion methods.

Blue GaN-based vertical cavity surface emitting lasers by CW current injection at 77K

In the paper, we describe the fabrication and performance characteristics of GaN-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) by optical pumping and current injection. According to the employment of high-quality and high-reflectivity AlN/GaN DBRs in the whole structure, the lasing action of optically pumped GaN-based VCSELs with hybrid mirrors has been observed at room temperature. Due to the excellent results of optically pumped GaN-based VCSELs with hybrid mirrors, we further demonstrated the lasing behavior of GaN-based VCSELs by continuous-wave current injection at 77 K. The laser has one dominated blue wavelength located at 462 nm with a linewidth of about 0.15 nm and the threshold injection current at 1.4 mA. The divergence angle and polarization ratio of the GaN-based VCSELs with hybrid mirrors are about 11.7° and 80%, respectively. A larger spontaneous coupling efficiency of about 7.5×10-2 was also measured.

Investigation of Composition-Dependent Optical Phonon Modes in Al(x)Ga(1-x)N Epitaxial Layers Grown on Sapphire Substrates

We reported the systematical study of optical properties of hexagonal Al x Ga 1-x N epitaxial films grown on c -sapphire substrate using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. By performing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements, the high-frequency dielectric constants and phonon frequencies can be obtained by theoretically fitting the experimental infrared reflectance spectra using a four-phase layered model. The high-frequency dielectric constant of Al x Ga 1-x N varies between 4.98 and 4.52 for e ∝,│ (polarization perpendicular to the optical axis) and between 4.95 and 4.50 for e ∝,// (polarization parallel to the optical axis) respectively when the aluminum composition changes from 0.15 to 0.24. Furthermore, from experimental infrared reflectance spectra of Al x Ga 1-x N films, a specific absorption dip at 785 cm -1 was observed when the aluminum composition is larger than 0.24. The dip intensity increases and the dip frequency shifts from 785 to 812 cm -1 as aluminum composition increases from 0.24 to 0.58. According to the reciprocal space map of x -ray diffraction measurements, the emergence of this dip could be resulted from the effects of strain relaxation in AlGaN epitaxial layers due to the large lattice mismatch between GaN and AlGaN epitaxial film.

Performance Enhancement of a-plane Light-emitting Diodes using InGaN/GaN Superlattices

We have fabricated a-plane light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with inserted InGaN/GaN superlattices. The structural characteristics and device performance of a-plane light-emitting diodes with/without superlattices were also identified. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images revealed that the threading dislocation (TD) density for the sample using superlattices was reduced from 3 10 10 cm 2 down to 9 10 9 cm 2 . The electroluminescence (EL) intensity of the sample with InGaN/GaN superlattices was enhanced by a factor of 3.42 times to that of the conventional sample without InGaN/GaN superlattices. Furthermore, we observed that the polarization degree of a-plane LEDs with superlattices (56.3%) was much higher than that without superlattices (27.4%). A series of experiments demonstrated that the feasibility of using InGaN/GaN superlattices for the TD reduction and the improvement of luminescence performance in a-plane III–nitride devices. # 2009 The Japan Society of Applied Physics

AlGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells grown by atomic layer deposition

A three-pair AlGaN/GaN multiple quantum well (MQW) structure with superlattices (SLs) was grown on c-plane sapphire using metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) system. The AlGaN barrier and GaN well of the MQW structure were grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) and conventional growth, respectively. The HRTEM and HRXRD results show the grown structure has shape interface between SLs layers and QWs with good periodicity. The AFM and SEM data show smooth surface morphology with low RMS value and low defect density. The CL measurements also indicate uniform luminescence pattern at room temperature. The AlGaN/GaN MQW with AlN/GaN SLs structure grown by ALD could be used to improve the surface morphology by effectively suppress the threading dislocation.