Analysis of light out-coupling from microlens array

Microlens array has been known to be effective in enhancing the out coupling efficiency of LEDs, OLEDs and other thin film light emitting devices. However, mechanism of efficiency enhancement by use of microlens arrays is still ambiguous, apart from suggestions that it leads to randomization of photons. We have studied the photon dynamics in the presence of microlens arrays and the effect of various parameters e.g. microlens contact angle, absorption and substrate refractive index using ray tracing simulations. Microlens array leads to extraction of a portion of photons outside the escape cone at the cost of reduced extraction from within the escape cone. The reduced extraction from within the escape cone is compensated by multiple reflections from the back surface. Increase in microlens contact angle reduces the number of reflections required for out-coupling hence reducing the absorption in the device.     

Optimizing textured structures possessing both optical gradient and diffraction properties to increase the extraction efficiency of light-emitting diodes

The external quantum efficiency of a light-emitting diode (LED) is strictly limited by total internal reflection and Fresnel reflection effects. In this study, we sought to optimize light extraction by monitoring the shape effects of four kinds of periodic textured structures (nanorod, inverted rod, pyramid, inverted pyramid) on the surface of gallium nitride (GaN)-based LEDs. We employed the three-dimensional rigorous coupled waves approach to calculate the direct emissions at different incident angles on the various textured structures, and then determined an optimized structure that would improve the extraction efficiency of LEDs. The optical gradient of the inverted pyramid structure could decrease not only the Fresnel reflection at incident angles less than the critical angle but also the total internal reflection at incident angles greater than the critical angle. Many inverted pyramid structures at the GaN–air interface, with various sizes and periods, provided enhancement factors of greater than 150%.     

InGaN micro-pixellated light-emitting diodes with nano-textured surfaces and modified emission profiles

We present the fabrication details and performance characteristics of InGaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) consisting of arrays of interconnected micro-pixels where each micro-pixel is nano-textured via nano-imprinting. We have taken the further step of embodying the pixels in a rhomboidal geometry. It is found that the power output of these nano-textured micro-LEDs with rhomboidal geometries is 57% higher than that of conventional square-shaped broad-area reference LEDs. The series resistance of the textured LEDs is reduced, owing to the multi-finger electrodes introduced. Furthermore, these LEDs can sustain higher operation current of up to 500 mA without encapsulation, suggesting improved thermal dissipation capability. Finally, the combined effects of surface texturing, micro-LED configuration, and geometric shaping on the light extraction are analyzed. It is found that the power enhancement by surface texturing, micro-pixellating and the rhomboidal geometry are 32%, 16%, and 9%, respectively, implying that surface texturing is the most effective contribution to increasing the light extraction efficiency in our design. The angular dependent far-field beam profile is also remarkably changed, compared with the standard Lambertian emission pattern of the conventional square-shaped LEDs. Substantial increase in the EL intensity is evident from both the top surface and the sidewall.     

Enhancing light extraction of GaN-based blue light-emitting diodes by a tuned nanopillar array

Surface patterning of p-GaN to improve the light extraction efficiency of GaN-based blue light-emitting diodes(LEDs) has been investigated. Periodic nanopillar arrays on p-GaN have been fabricated by polystyrene(PS) nanosphere lithography; the diameter of the nanopillars can be tuned to optimize the electrical and optical properties of the LEDs. The electroluminescence intensity of the nanopillar-patterned LEDs is better than that of conventional LEDs; the greatest enhancement increased the intensity by a factor of 1.41 at a 20 mA injection current. The enhancements can be explained by a model of bilayer film on a GaN substrate. This method may serve as a practical approach to improve the efficiency of light extraction from LEDs.     

Enhanced light extraction with silicon nanoantenna arrays for white light LED applications

High conversion efficiency and quantum efficiency is essential for the phosphor in an efficient phosphor-based white light LEDs. Here, based on the coherent harmonic and the random independent emitter model, we demonstrate theoretically that the silicon nanoantenna array can dramatically enhance the output power of emitters in a phosphor layer by investigating the far-field radiation enhancement of an electric dipole assisted by silicon nanopillars in a waveguide structure. Compared with the plasmonic silver nanoantenna array, the silicon nanoantenna array can increase the enhancement factor of light extraction efficiency (LEE) over 50% for the dipole source at the wavelength of 620 nm, thus showing potential applications in white light LEDs. The enhanced LEE is ascribed to the low-loss directional light scattering of silicon nanoantennas and the strong guided mode resonances caused by their array. The calculation results also indicate that the far-field radiation can be tailored significantly by changing the aspect ratio of silicon nanopillars while presenting a good directivity. Our research is expected to give more insights into the design and optimization of the solid-state lighting, gaining and lasing systems by integrating silicon-based nanoantennas.     

Enhancement of the light extraction of GaN-based green light emitting diodes via nanohybrid structures

Improvement in the light extraction efficiency (LEE) of GaN-based green light emitting diodes (LEDs) with ZnO nanostructures synthesized by a hydrothermal method is reported. Formation of ZnO nanorods, hemispheres, and cones was controlled by varying the pH of the aqueous synthesis solution. The shape of the ZnO nanostructures integrated onto the LEDs shows a strong relationship with the LEE characteristics of GaN-based green LEDs. The electroluminescence (EL) intensity of LEDs covered by ZnO nanostructures increased compared to conventional LEDs. In terms of LEE, LEDs with surface-textured ZnO hemispheres showed the highest EL intensity, which can be attributed to an increase in the effective critical angle, the escape cone, and multiple scattering. Finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulation was conducted to theoretically confirm the experimental results.     

Light-extraction enhancement of vertical-injection GaN-based light-emitting diodes fabricated with highly integrated surface textures

We report on the fabrication of high-efficiency vertical-injection GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) fabricated with integrated surface textures. An optical ray-tracing simulation shows that the high integration of surface textures can effectively enhance the light-extraction efficiency. The integrated surface textures are fabricated on the top surface of LEDs by generating hexagonal cones on the periodically corrugated surfaces of n-GaN. Compared to reference LEDs without textures, LEDs fabricated with integrated surface textures show an enhancement of the output power by a factor of 2.59, which is in agreement with the calculated results.     

Simulation of InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes with patterned sapphire substrate

Blue InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well (MQW) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with patterned sapphire substrate (PSS) are simulated by the APSYS software. Approach of combining finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method and raytracing technique is applied to perform light extraction. The simulation results show that PSS dramatically increases extraction efficiency of light power, in agreement with experiment. It is found that extraction efficiency can be maximized by changing the shape of PSS. This work presents a new approach to combine electrical simulation with FDTD and raytracing in 3D TCAD simulation of GaN-LED.     

Light-extraction efficiency and forward voltage in GaN-based light-emitting diodes with different patterns of V-shaped pits

We present a new method of making a textured V-pit surface for improving the light extraction efficiency in GaN- based light-emitting diodes and compare it with the usual low-temperature method for p-GaN V-pits. Three types of GaNbased light-emitting diodes （LEDs） with surface V-pits in different densities and regions were grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. We achieved the highest output power and lowest forward voltage values with the p-InGaN V-pit LED. The V-pits enhanced the light output power values by 1.45 times the values of the conventional LED owing to an enhancement of the light scattering probability and an effective reduction of Mg-acceptor activation energy. Moreover, this new technique effectively solved the higher forward voltage problem of the usual V-pit LED.     

Enhanced light extraction of GaN-based light-emitting diodes with periodic textured SiO_2 on Al-doped ZnO transparent conductive layer

We report an effective enhancement in light extraction of Ga N-based light-emitting diodes(LEDs) with an Al-doped Zn O(AZO) transparent conductive layer by incorporating a top regular textured SiO_2 layer. The 2 inch transparent throughpore anodic aluminum oxide(AAO) membrane was fabricated and used as the etching mask. The periodic pore with a pitch of about 410 nm was successfully transferred to the surface of the SiO_2 layer without any etching damages to the AZO layer and the electrodes. The light output power was enhanced by 19% at 20 m A and 56% at 100 m A compared to that of the planar LEDs without a patterned surface. This approach offers a technique to fabricate a low-cost and large-area regular pattern on the LED chip for achieving enhanced light extraction without an obvious increase of the forward voltage.     

Surface Light Extraction Mapping from Photonic Quasicrystal on Current Two-Dimensional Array of 12-Fold Injected GaN-Based LEDs

A two-dimensional array of dodecagonal photonic quasicrystal （12PQC） is fabricated on the surface of current injected GaN-based LEDs to out-couple guided modes. The spatially-resolved surface light extraction mapping of 12PQC is observed and compared with that of triangular lattice photonic crystal （3PC） by microscopic electrical luminescence and scanning near-field microscopy. The higher enhancement factor of 12PQC is obtained to be larger than that of 3PC. It is shown that 12PQC is more favourable and efficient for light extraction of guided lights.     

Enhancement of light extraction efficiency in OLED with two-dimensional photonic crystal slabs

Light extraction efficiency of organic light emitting diode (OLED) based on various photonic crystal slab (PCS) structures was studied. By using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, we investigated the effect of several parameters, including filling factor and lattice constant, on the enhancement of light extraction efficiency of three basic PCSs, and got the most effective one. Two novel designs of "interlaced"and "double-interlaced" PCS structures based on the most effective basic PCS structure were introduced,and the "interlaced" one was proved to be even more efficient than its prototype. Large enhancement of light extraction efficiency resulted from the coupling to leaky modes in the expended light cone of a band structure, the diffraction in the space between columns, as well as the strong scattering at indium-tinoxide/glass interfaces.     

Improving metal-enhanced photoluminescence by micro-pattern of metal nanoparticles: a case study of Ag–ZnCdO system

Micro-pattern of Ag nanoparticles and Ag film is inserted between ZnCdO film and the substrate to enhance the photoluminescence (PL) of ZnCdO films, achieving enhancement ratio of 21.2 and 7.1, respectively. Time-resolved photoluminescence shows that the PL lifetime of Ag/ZnCdO films is longer than that of bare ZnCdO, which is attributed to surface modification and surface plasmons coupling. The improved enhancement in the sample with Ag pattern is attributed to the fact that periodic Ag structure offers additional scattering mediums and thus increases the light extraction efficiency.     

Enhancement of LED light extraction via diffraction of hexagonal lattice fabricated in ITO layer with holographic lithography and wet etching

A novel method for enhancing light extraction efficiency of LEDs via diffraction of the lattice fabricated in ITO layers of LEDs is proposed. The lattice fabrication process includes holographic lithography and wet etching. 3-beam interference holographic approach was used to fabricate large-area hexagonal lattice mask which can cover 2-inch semiconductor wafer, and acid etching was used to transfer the lattice structure into p-contact ITO layer. 1.4 fold enhancement of light output at 20 mA injection current was obtained from GaN-based LEDs in the primary experiment. The lattice fabrication process is rapid and cost-effective thus enabling industrial mass production of high brightness LEDs.     

Improving the optical performance of InGaN light-emitting diodes by altering light reflection and refraction with triangular air prism arrays

The effect of triangular air prism (TAP) arrays with different distance-to-width (d/w) ratios on the enhancement of light extraction efficiency (LEE) of InGaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is investigated. The TAP arrays embedded at the sapphire/GaN interface act as light reflectors and refractors, and thereby improve the light output power due to the redirection of light into escape cones on both the front and back sides of the LED. Enhancement in radiometric power as high as 117% and far-field angle as low as 129° are realized with a compact arrangement of TAP arrays compared with that of a conventional LED made without TAP arrays under an injection current of 20 mA.     

硅基光源的研究进展

随着人们对大容量、高速和低成本的信息传播的要求越来越迫切, 近年来硅基光电子学得以蓬勃发展, 但硅基光源一直没有得到真正的解决, 成为制约硅基光电子学发展的瓶颈. 硅的间接带隙本质给高效硅基光源的实现带来很大困难, 实用化的硅基激光是半导体科学家长期奋斗的目标. 本文分别介绍了硅基发光材料、硅基发光二极管和硅基激光的研究进展, 最后总结了目前各种硅基光源面临的问题和未来的发展方向.     

Tunable photoluminescence and electroluminescence of size-controlled silicon nanocrystals in nanocrystalline-Si/SiO2 superlattices

We present photoluminescence and electroluminescence of silicon nanocrystals deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) using nanocrystalline silicon/silicon dioxide (nc-Si/SiO₂) superlattice approach. This approach allows us to tune the nanocrystal emission wavelength by varying the thickness of the Si layers. We fabricate light emitting devices (LEDs) with transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) contacts using these superlattice materials. The current-voltage characteristics of the LEDs are measured and compared to Frenkel-Poole and Fowler-Nordheim models for conduction. The EL properties of the superlattice material are studied, and tuning, similar to that of the PL spectra, is shown for the EL spectra. Finally, we observe the output power and calculate the quantum efficiency and power conversion efficiency for each of the devices.     

Light-extraction enhancement and directional emission control of GaN-based LED with transmission grating

We theoretically analyze the improvement in light extraction efficiency (LEE) of GaN-based LEDs with transmission grating. Light propagation and extraction was simulated using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method for conical, cylindrical, and hemispherical grating. The simulations show that the use of transmission grating leads to increase in the LEE of GaN-based LEDs. The enhancement in LEE is attributed to the decrease in the Fresnel reflection and the effective increase in the photon escape cone. The maximum LEE enhancement of 2.3 times was achieved by employing hemispherical grating. The directional emission pattern converged by employing conical grating.     

The enhancement of light-emitting efficiency using GaN-based multiple quantum well light-emitting diodes with nanopillar arrays

The quest for higher modulation speed and lower energy consumption has inevitably promoted the rapid development of semiconductor-based solid lighting devices in recent years. GaN-based light-emitting diodes （LEDs） have emerged as promising candidates for achieving high efficiency and high intensity, and have received increasing attention among many researchers in this field. In this paper, we use a self-assembled array-patterned mask to fabricate InGaN/GaN multi- quantum well （MQW） LEDs with the intention of enhancing the light-emitting efficiency. By utilizing inductively coupled plasma etching with a self-assembled Ni cluster as the mask, nanopillar arrays are formed on the surface of the InGaN/GaN MQWs. We then observe the structure of the nanopillars and find that the V-defects on the surface of the conventional structure and the negative effects of threading dislocation are effectively reduced. Simultaneously, we make a comparison of the photoluminescence （PL） spectrum between the conventional structure and the nanopillar arrays, achieved under an experimental set-up with an excitation wavelength of 325 mm. The analysis demonstrates that MQW-LEDs with nanopillar arrays achieve a PL intensity 2.7 times that of conventional LEDs. In response to the PL spectrum, some reasons are proposed for the enhancement in the light-emitting efficiency as follows： 1） the improvement in crystal quality, namely the reduction in V-defects; 2） the roughened surface effect on the expansion of the critical angle and the attenuated total reflection; and 3） the enhancement of the light-extraction efficiency due to forward scattering by surface plasmon polariton modes in Ni particles deposited above the p-type GaN layer at the top of the nanopillars.     

GaN-based light-emitting diodes directly grown on sapphire substrate with holographically generated two-dimensional photonic crystal patterns

As an approach to enhance light extraction from GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs), we inserted a submicron period photonic crystal (PC) pattern at the interface between GaN epilayer and sapphire substrate. A two-dimensional square-lattice pillar array of 600-nm period was produced directly onto the sapphire substrate by a combination of laser holography and inductively-coupled-plasma etching. A standard GaN LED heterostructure was grown on top of the nano-patterned substrate, which was then processed to conventional bottom-emitting LED chips. At the drive current of 20 mA, the PC-LED produced surface-normal output power about 40% higher than that of the reference LED (with no PC integrated). Temperature-dependent photoluminescence measurement indicated that the emission enhancement was solely a structural effect by the integrated PC pattern.