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    Strain induced power enhancement of far-UVC LEDs on high temperature annealed AlN templates
    (Melville, NY : American Inst. of Physics, 2023) Knauer, A.; Kolbe, T.; Hagedorn, S.; Hoepfner, J.; Guttmann, M.; Cho, H.K.; Rass, J.; Ruschel, J.; Einfeldt, S.; Kneissl, M.; Weyers, M.
    High temperature annealed AlN/sapphire templates exhibit a reduced in-plane lattice constant compared to conventional non-annealed AlN/sapphire grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). This leads to additional lattice mismatch between the template and the AlGaN-based ultraviolet-C light emitting diode (UVC LED) heterostructure grown on these templates. This mismatch introduces additional compressive strain in AlGaN quantum wells resulting in enhanced transverse electric polarization of the quantum well emission at wavelengths below 235 nm compared to layer structures deposited on conventional MOVPE-grown AlN templates, which exhibit mainly transverse magnetic polarized emission. In addition, high temperature annealed AlN/sapphire templates also feature reduced defect densities leading to reduced non-radiative recombination. Based on these two factors, i.e., better outcoupling efficiency of the transverse electric polarized light and an enhanced internal quantum efficiency, the performance characteristic of far-UVC LEDs emitting at 231 nm was further improved with a cw optical output power of 3.5 mW at 150 mA.
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    Optimization of the Epitaxial Growth of Undoped GaN Waveguides in GaN-Based Laser Diodes Evaluated by Photoluminescence
    (Warrendale, Pa : TMS, 2020) Netzel, C.; Hoffmann, V.; Einfeldt, S.; Weyers, M.
    Non-intentionally doped c-plane GaN layers are generally employed as p-side waveguide layers in violet/blue-emitting laser diodes. The recombination and diffusion of charge carriers in the p-side GaN waveguide influence the injection efficiency of holes into the InGaN quantum wells of these devices. In this study, the non-radiative recombination and the diffusivity in the [000-1] direction for charge carriers in such GaN layers are investigated by the photoluminescence of buried InGaN quantum wells, in addition to the GaN photoluminescence. The vertical charge carrier diffusion length and the diffusion constant in GaN were determined by evaluating the intensity from InGaN quantum wells in different depths below a top GaN layer. Additionally, the intensity from the buried InGaN quantum wells was found to be more sensitive to variations in the non-radiative recombination rate in the GaN layer than the intensity from the GaN itself. The study enables conclusions to be drawn on how the growth of a p-side GaN waveguide layer has to be optimized: (1) The charge carrier diffusivity in the [000-1] direction at device operation temperature is limited by phonon scattering and can be only slightly improved by material quality. (2) The use of TMGa (trimethylgallium) instead of TEGa (triethylgallium) as a precursor for the growth of GaN lowers the background silicon doping level and is advantageous for a large hole diffusion length. (3) Small growth rates below 0.5 μm/h when using TMGa or below 0.12 μm/h when using TEGa enhance non-radiative recombination. (4) A V/III gas ratio of 2200 or more is needed for low non-radiative recombination rates in GaN.
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    Low resistance n-contact for UVC LEDs by a two-step plasma etching process
    (Bristol : IOP Publ., 2020) Cho, H.K.; Kang, J.H.; Sulmoni, L.; Kunkel, K.; Rass, J.; Susilo, N.; Wernicke, T.; Einfeldt, S.; Kneissl, M.
    The impact of plasma etching on the formation of low-resistance n-contacts on the AlGaN:Si current spreading layer during the chip fabrication of ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV LEDs) emitting at 265 nm is investigated. A two-step plasma etching process with a first rapid etching using BCl3/Cl2 gas mixture and a second slow etching step using pure Cl2 gas has been developed. The etching sequence provides smooth mesa side-walls and an n-AlGaN surface with reduced surface damage. Ohmic n-contacts with a contact resistivity of 3.5 10-4 Ωcm2 are obtained on Si-doped Al0.65Ga0.35N layers and the operating voltages of the UVC LEDs were reduced by 2 V for a current of 20 mA. © 2020 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd.