Light-output enhancement in a nitride-based light-emitting diode with 22° undercut sidewalls

Author

Kao, Chih-Chiang ; Kuo, Hao-Chung ; Huang, Hung-Wen ; Chu, Jung-Tang ; Peng, Yu-Chun ; Hsieh, Yong-Long ; Luo, C.Y. ; Wang, Shing-Chung ; Yu, Chang-Chin ; Lin, Chia-Feng

Author_Institution

Inst. of Electro-Opt. Eng., Nat. Chiao Tung Univ., Hsinchu, Taiwan

Volume

17

Issue

1

fYear

2005

Firstpage

19

Lastpage

21

Abstract

We successfully fabricated nitride-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with ∼22° undercut sidewalls. The ∼22° etching undercut sidewalls were achieved by controllable inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching. With a 20-mA current injection, the output powers of the LED with ∼22° undercut sidewalls and standard LED were 5.1 and 3 mW, respectively - a factor of 1.7 times enhancement. It was found that such undercut sidewalls could enhance the probability of escaping the photons outside from the LED in the near horizontal and in-plane directions. This simple and controllable method is beneficial to fabricate brighter LEDs.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; gallium compounds; light emitting diodes; optical fabrication; plasma materials processing; sputter etching; 20 mA; GaN; GaN-based materials; LED fabrication; controllable method; etching profile; inductively coupled plasma etching; light emitting diode; light extraction efficiency; light-output enhancement; nitride-based LED; reactive ion etching; undercut sidewalls; Brightness; Computer displays; Etching; Gallium nitride; Light emitting diodes; Optical materials; Plasma applications; Power generation; Quantum well devices; Refractive index; Etching profile; GaN; light extraction efficiency; light-emitting diode (LED);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LPT.2004.837480

Filename

1372569