Efficient 350 nm LEDs on low edge threading dislocation density AlGaN buffer layers

Richard Gutt; Thorsten Passow; Wilfried Pletschen; Michael Kunzer; Lutz Kirste; Kamran Forghani; Ferdinand Scholz; Oliver Klein; Ute Kaiser; Klaus Köhler; Joachim Wagner

doi:10.1117/12.873531

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9 February 2011 Efficient 350 nm LEDs on low edge threading dislocation density AlGaN buffer layers

Richard Gutt, Thorsten Passow, Wilfried Pletschen, Michael Kunzer, Lutz Kirste, Kamran Forghani, Ferdinand Scholz, Oliver Klein, Ute Kaiser, Klaus Köhler, Joachim Wagner

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Proceedings Volume 7954, Light-Emitting Diodes: Materials, Devices, and Applications for Solid State Lighting XV; 79540Q (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.873531
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2011, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Improving the crystal quality of AlGaN epitaxial layers is essential for the realization of efficient III-nitride-based light emitting diodes (LEDs) with emission wavelengths below 365 nm. Here, we report on two different approaches to improve the material quality of AlGaN buffer layers for such UV-LEDs, which are known to be effective for the MOVPE growth of GaN layers. Firstly, we grew AlGaN on thin GaN nucleation islands which exhibit a threedimensional facetted structure (3D GaN nucleation). Lateral overgrowth of these islands results in a lateral bending of dislocation lines at the growing facets. Secondly, in-situ deposited SiN_x interlayers have been used as nano-masks reducing the dislocation density above the SiN_x layers. Both approaches result in reduced asymmetric HRXRD ω-scan peak widths, indicating a reduced edge-type dislocation density. They can be applied to the growth of AlGaN layers with an Al concentration of at least 20%, thus suitable for LEDs emitting around 350 nm. On-wafer electroluminescence measurements at 20 mA show an increase in output power by a factor of 7 and 25 for LED structures grown on 3D GaN nucleation and SiNx interlayer, respectively, compared to structures grown on a purely 2D grown low Al-content AlGaN nucleation layer. Mesa-LEDs fabricated from the LED layer sequences grown on buffers with SiN_x interlayer exhibit a low forward voltage of 3.8 V at 20 mA and a maximum continuous wave (cw) output power of 12.2 mW at 300 mA.

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Richard Gutt, Thorsten Passow, Wilfried Pletschen, Michael Kunzer, Lutz Kirste, Kamran Forghani, Ferdinand Scholz, Oliver Klein, Ute Kaiser, Klaus Köhler, and Joachim Wagner "Efficient 350 nm LEDs on low edge threading dislocation density AlGaN buffer layers", Proc. SPIE 7954, Light-Emitting Diodes: Materials, Devices, and Applications for Solid State Lighting XV, 79540Q (9 February 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.873531

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