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Fabrication of a nano-cone array on a p-GaN surface for enhanced light extraction efficiency
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Abstract
We report on the fabrication of a nano-cone structured p-GaN surface for enhanced light
extraction from tunable wavelength light emitting diodes (LEDs). Prior to p-contact
metallization, self-assembled colloidal particles are deposited and used as a mask for plasma
etching to create nano-cone structures on the p-GaN layer of LEDs. A well-defined periodic
nano-cone array, with an average cone diameter of 300 nm and height of 150 nm, is generated
on the p-GaN surface. The photoluminescence emission intensity recorded from the regions
with the nano-cone array is increased by two times as compared to LEDs without surface
patterning. The light output power from the LEDs with surface nano-cones shows significantly
higher electroluminescence intensity at an injection current of 70 mA. This is due to the internal
multiple scattering of light from the nano-cone sidewalls. Furthermore, we have shown that
with an incorporation of InGaN nanostructures in the quantum well, the wavelength of these
surface-patterned LEDs can be tuned from 517 to 488 nm with an increase in the injection
current. This methodology may serve as a practical approach to increase the light extraction
efficiency from wavelength tunable LEDs.
(Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)
1. Introduction (ηout ) [3, 4]. First, the internal quantum efficiency of the
LEDs on c-plane sapphire is influenced by its crystal quality
The past decade has seen a tremendous advancement in the and the built-in electric field due to spontaneous and strain-
GaN-based light emitting diodes (LEDs) from the early blue induced piezoelectric polarization [4, 5]. Second, the critical
emission [1] to the present-day highly efficient phosphor- cone angle for light to escape from GaN to air is 23◦ . This
coated white LEDs [2]. This research area has attracted
gives a low light extraction efficiency of about 4% for large
considerable attention due to the possibility of replacing
area LED devices [5, 6]. The majority of photons reaching
fluorescent lamps by LEDs for the next generation lighting
applications. However, there is a general concern to improve the surface are internally reflected and subsequently absorbed
the achievable efficiency of the LEDs. There are two by the substrate. To increase the light extraction efficiency,
approaches to increase the overall external quantum efficiency surface roughening, [5, 7] nanorods LEDs with self-assembled
of InGaN-based LEDs: mainly through the increase of internal Ni metal islands [8], and sapphire substrate patterning [9, 10]
quantum efficiency (ηint ) and the light extraction efficiency have been implemented for InGaN-based LEDs.
2
Nanotechnology 19 (2008) 405303 C B Soh et al
3
Nanotechnology 19 (2008) 405303 C B Soh et al
(b)
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Nanotechnology 19 (2008) 405303 C B Soh et al
carriers and excess high kinetic energy carriers can overcome nanostructures embedded in the graded InGaN well layer.
the potential barrier to diffuse to the γ -InGaN layer, and give This gives a wavelength tunable InGaN LEDs with embedded
rise to green emission with CIE coordinates of (0.125, 0.355). InGaN nanostructures. A comparative study on the light output
Further increase in injection current to 50 mA enables carriers power shows significant enhancement in light extraction from
to recombine radiatively at the α -InGaN as well as at γ -InGaN the LEDs with the nano-cone patterned p-GaN. The utilization
and InGaN nanostructures, which eventually led to cyan colour of such a low cost and controllable nanosphere lithography
emission at 492 nm with CIE coordinates of (0.156, 0.291). process would allow researchers to significantly improve the
Figure 5(c) shows the plots of light output power and light extraction efficiency from InGaN/GaN-based LEDs.
wavelength as a function of the injection current for both
types of LED. The nano-cone patterned and the non-patterned Acknowledgments
LEDs show nearly equal amounts of EL peak blue shift from
516 to 488 nm as the injection current is increased from 5 This work was supported by Exploit Technologies (ETPL),
to 70 mA. The light output power from both LEDs increases A-Star, Singapore. The authors are grateful for the financial
linearly with an initial injection current up to 50 mA but for support provided under the White LEDs Flagship project
the non-patterned GaN LEDs, it started to saturate at higher (IMRE/07-7P0601)
injection current. However, for the case of LEDs with nano-
cone p-GaN surface, the output power continues to increase
steadily even after 70 mA. The light output power of such References
patterned GaN LEDs was about 1.8 times higher than the
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