Kang Jea Lee

Graphene network on indium tin oxide nanodot nodes for transparent and current spreading electrode in InGaN/GaN light emitting diode

We report a device that combines indium tin oxide (ITO) nanodot nodes with two-dimensional chemically converted graphene (CCG) films to yield a GaN-based light emitting diode (LED) with interesting characteristics for transparent and current spreading electrodes for the potential use in the ultraviolet region. The current-voltage characteristics and electroluminescence output power performance showed that CCG network on ITO nanodot nodes operated as a transparent and current spreading electrode in LED devices.

Coupling of InGaN/GaN multiquantum-wells photoluminescence to surface plasmons in platinum nanocluster

We present the coupling of InGaN/GaN multiquantum-wells (MQWs)photoluminescence(PL) to surface plasmons (SPs) in platinum (Pt) nanoclusters (PNCs). To tune the extinction spectrum of Pt thin film through surface modification such as PNC, the thermal annealing method was employed. From conventional PL and time-resolved PL measurements, enhanced emission and faster luminescence decay time of the PNC-formed InGaN/GaN MQWs was observed with blueshifted emission behavior near the plasmon absorption band of PNC. A Purcell enhancement factor, which was calculated to describe the increase in spontaneous emission rate ( R se ) , revealed an approximate 2.2 times enhancement of R se at 425 nm. We believe that these phenomena result from efficient energy transfer in PNC-formed InGaN/GaN MQWs by SPs coupling.

Enhanced light output power of near UV light emitting diodes with graphene / indium tin oxide nanodot nodes for transparent and current spreading electrode.

We report GaN-based near ultraviolet (UV) light emitting diode (LED) that combines indium tin oxide (ITO) nanodot nodes with two-dimensional graphene film as a UV-transparent current spreading electrode (TCSE) to give rise to excellent UV emission efficiency. The light output power of 380 nm emitting UV-LEDs with graphene film on ITO nanodot nodes as TCSE was enhanced remarkably compared to conventional TCSE. The increase of the light output power is attributed to high UV transmittance of graphene, effective current spreading and injection, and texturing effect by ITO nanodots.

Enhanced Light Output Power of GaN Light-Emitting Diodes with Graphene Film as a Transparent Conducting Electrode

We report the enhanced light output power of GaN-based light-emitting diode (LED) by using graphene film as a transparent conducting electrode. Monolayer graphene was synthesized on copper foil by using chemical vapor deposition method and directly transferred onto the GaN-LED as a top electrode. Compared to the conventional LEDs using indium tin oxide (ITO) layer for an electrode material, the light output power of LED with graphene electrode was improved by ~25%. This was attributed excellent graphene characteristics of high electrical conductivity, high optical transmittance of nearly 97% over a wide range of infrared, visible, and ultraviolet region and large area uniformity with fewer defects.

Light outcoupling effect in GaN light-emitting diodes via convex microstructures monolithically fabricated on sapphire substrate

GaN-based light-emitting diode (LED) was fabricated on the sapphire substrate with monolithic convex microstructures (CMs) array. Using confocal scanning electroluminescence (EL), we have directly observed the strong outcoupling phenomenon of the light confined in a LED via the CMs array. This outcoupled light could be efficiently converged on the convex center through consecutive reflections at the flat area and the curved slant area of the CMs array. Compared to the conventional LED, the ray tracing simulation and far field EL results of the LED with a CM array showed efficient light extraction toward the top surface, i.e., 0-5, 40-45 and 60-65 degree by the outcoupling effect. We conclude that the outcoupled optical path via CMs is the dominant factor of the enhanced light extraction in the LED with a CM array.

Influence of controlled growth rate on tilt mosaic microstructures of nonpolar a-plane GaN epilayers grown on r-plane sapphire

The influence of the epitaxial growth rate on the surface morphology, as well as the crystallinity and optical properties of nonpolar a-plane GaN epilayers grown on r-plane sapphire substrate, has been investigated by x-ray diffraction and photoluminescence studies. The a-plane GaN epilayer grown at faster growth rates revealed a horizontal-pillar-shaped morphology with triangular-pits having sharp corners. While the epilayer grown at a faster growth rate showed a greater difference in the ω tilt-offset angle and line-width value between the on- and off-axes from x-ray diffraction, the a-plane GaN grown at the relatively slower growth rate showed a flat morphology with few pits and small ω tilt-offset difference. Growth of nonpolar a-plane GaN epilayer was optimized, and the effect of the growth rate of the a-plane GaN epilayer and the reason for the difference in the ω tilt-offset line-width value between the c- and m-direction mosaicity of x-ray diffraction were analyzed.

Enhanced Light Extraction in GaN-Based Light-Emitting Diodes with Holographically Fabricated Concave Hemisphere-Shaped Patterning on Indium–Tin-Oxide Layer

The enhanced light extraction of the GaN-based light-emitting diode (LED) with a two-dimensional concave hemisphere-shaped indium–tin-oxide (ITO) layer, fabricated using laser holographic lithography and inductively-coupled plasma etching techniques were studied. Compared to the LED with a planar ITO layer, it is found that the light output power of LEDs with concave hemisphere patterned ITO layers is improved by ∼34%. This enhanced light output power is attributed to the increase of light extraction by effective photon escape and self-divergence effect at the concave hemisphere-shaped ITO surface.

Growth of GaN Epilayers on Defect-Selective Etched Nanoporous GaN Templates Generated by Electrochemical Etching

In this work, a defect-selective etched nanoporous GaN was formed using electrochemical etching in oxalic acid and employed as a template for the overgrowth of high quality GaN epilayers by metal/organic chemical vapor deposition. To illustrate the influence of the nanoporous GaN on the subsequent overgrown GaN epilayer, high resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were measured. The linewidth values of the XRD rocking curve for an overgrown GaN epilayer decreased both for the (002) symmetry plane and (102) asymmetry plane. The TEM observations indicated that the GaN epilayers overgrown on the nanoporous GaN templates had fewer threading dislocations (TDs) due to dislocation bending and had annihilated in the form of dislocation loops. The results indicate that the use of nanoporous GaN as a template is an effective way to reduce the density of TDs in GaN epilayers.

Improved Strain-Free GaN Growth with a Nearly Lattice-Matched AlInN Interlayer by Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition

Using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, a strain-free GaN layer has been successfully grown by employing a 40-nm-thick nearly lattice-matched (NLM) Al1-xInxN as an interlayer. The Al1-xInxN interlayers having an InN molar fraction of x~0.11 and 0.13 led to crack-networking at the GaN surface due to excessive tensile strain by lattice-mismatching. In the case of the GaN layer with a NLM Al1-xInxN interlayer (x~0.18), however, strain-free GaN structure with improved structural and optical properties was demonstrated from the results of atomic force microscopy, Raman scattering and photoluminescence. By using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the origin on strain-free state and improved properties of the GaN layer with the NLM AlInN interlayer was investigated. Based on TEM observations, we suggest that the faulted zone-like growth mechanism on roughed AlInN surface and partial compensation of tensile thermal stress are major factors on the improved strain-free GaN film.

Enhanced optical output power by the silver localized surface plasmon coupling through side facets of micro-hole patterned InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes

Light extraction efficiency of GaN-based light emitting diodes were significantly enhanced using silver nanostructures incorporated in periodic micro-hole patterned multi quantum wells (MQWs). Our results show an enhancement of 60% in the wall-plug efficiency at an injection current of 100 mA when Ag nano-particles were deposited on side facet of MQWs passivated with SiO2. This improvement can be attributed to an increase in the spontaneous emission rate through resonance coupling between localized surface plasmons in Ag nano-particles and the excitons in MQWs.