Effect of Quantum Barrier Thickness in the Multiple-Quantum-Well Active Region of GaInN/GaN Light-Emitting Diodes

Author

Guan-Bo Lin ; Dong-Yeong Kim ; Qifeng Shan ; Jaehee Cho ; Schubert, E. Fred ; Hyunwook Shim ; Cheolsoo Sone ; Jong Kyu Kim

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr., Comput., & Syst., Eng., Rensselaer Polytech. Inst., Troy, NY, USA

Volume

5

Issue

4

fYear

2013

fDate

Aug. 2013

Firstpage

1600207

Lastpage

1600207

Abstract

The dependence of the polarization-induced electric field in GaInN/GaN multiple-quantum-well light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the GaN quantum barrier (QB) thickness is investigated. Electrostatic arguments and simulations predict that a thin QB thickness reduces the electric field in the quantum wells (QWs) and also improves the LED efficiency. We experimentally demonstrate that the QW electric field decreases with decreasing QB thickness. The lower electric field results in a better overlap of electron and hole wave functions and better carrier confinement in the QWs. A reduced efficiency droop and enhanced internal quantum efficiency is demonstrated for GaInN/GaN LEDs when the QB thickness is reduced from 24.5 to 9.1 nm.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; electrostatics; gallium compounds; indium compounds; light emitting diodes; light polarisation; semiconductor quantum wells; wide band gap semiconductors; GaInN-GaN; LED; QW electric field; carrier confinement; efficiency droop; electron wave function; electrostatics; hole wave function; internal quantum efficiency; light-emitting diodes; multiple-quantum-well active region; polarization-induced electric field; quantum barrier thickness; Electric fields; Epitaxial growth; Gallium nitride; Light emitting diodes; Quantum well devices; Thickness measurement; Light emitting diode; efficiency droop; gallium nitride;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Journal, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1943-0655

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JPHOT.2013.2276758

Filename

6576153