GB2361354A - Light emitting diode with single asymmetric quantum well - Google Patents

Light emitting diode with single asymmetric quantum well Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2361354A
GB2361354A GB0009153A GB0009153A GB2361354A GB 2361354 A GB2361354 A GB 2361354A GB 0009153 A GB0009153 A GB 0009153A GB 0009153 A GB0009153 A GB 0009153A GB 2361354 A GB2361354 A GB 2361354A
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United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
doped
quantum well
layer
gallium nitride
thick
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Granted
Application number
GB0009153A
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GB0009153D0 (en
GB2361354B (en
Inventor
Wang Nang Wang
Yurii Georgievich Shreter
Yurii Toomasovich Rebane
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Arima Optoelectronics Corp
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Arima Optoelectronics Corp
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Priority to GB0009153A priority Critical patent/GB2361354B/en
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Publication of GB2361354A publication Critical patent/GB2361354A/en
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Publication of GB2361354B publication Critical patent/GB2361354B/en
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    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L33/00Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L33/02Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by the semiconductor bodies
    • H01L33/08Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by the semiconductor bodies with a plurality of light emitting regions, e.g. laterally discontinuous light emitting layer or photoluminescent region integrated within the semiconductor body
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L33/00Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L33/02Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by the semiconductor bodies
    • H01L33/26Materials of the light emitting region
    • H01L33/30Materials of the light emitting region containing only elements of Group III and Group V of the Periodic Table
    • H01L33/32Materials of the light emitting region containing only elements of Group III and Group V of the Periodic Table containing nitrogen
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L33/00Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L33/02Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by the semiconductor bodies
    • H01L33/04Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by the semiconductor bodies with a quantum effect structure or superlattice, e.g. tunnel junction
    • H01L33/06Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by the semiconductor bodies with a quantum effect structure or superlattice, e.g. tunnel junction within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Led Devices (AREA)

Abstract

Light emitting diodes emitting more than one peak wavelength which may appear to emit "white light" to human eyes are disclosed. Adjacent asymmetric InGaN quantum layers 4, 5 have varying In content to alter wavelength emitted. A two quantum layer device is disclosed with In content of 10-20% and 20-60% and a three layer device having In content 50-100%, 10-20% and 20-50%. Doping concentrations and layer thicknesses of all layers are also disclosed.

Description

2361354 WHITE LIGHT EMITTING DIODE WITH SINGLE ASYMMETRIC QUANTUM WELL IN
ACTIVE LAYER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to light emitting diodes (LED) generating white light. More particularly, the invention relates to highly efficient white-LEDs without additional light conversion by phosphorous.
2.
Description of the Prior Art
Light emitting semiconductor diodes emitting white light have been marketed recently. The rad] ative recombination of electrons and holes in an active layer with a symmetric square quantum well is used in white-LED devices for generation of blue or ultraviolet light. Then phosphorous is used for conversion of the blue or ultra violet spectrum into white light (US Patents Nos. 5,959,316 and US 5,998,925).
The disadvantage of this approach is the need for phosphorous, which results in additional energy loses and reduces the total efficiency of the device.
The present invention of a white-LED with a single asymmetric quantum well in ail active layer allows the generation of white light directly in the quantum well, and the obtaining of highly efficient white-LEDs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention from one aspect, there is provided a light emitting diode generating white light directly using an asymmetric quantum well without the use of phosphorous for light spectrum conversion.
According to the present invention from another aspect, there is provided a white light emitting diode with a two-level single asymmetric quantum well in an active layer, generating a spectrum with two maxima in the regions 420-500 rim and 520-650 nin, which appears as white to human eyes.
Such a diode may be a GaN based light emitting diode comprising a GaN based white light comprising:
a sapphire (A1203) substrate or a silicon carbide (SiC) or a bulk gallium nitride (GaN) or other conductive substrate a gallium nitride (GaN) buffer layer or a superlattice gallium nitride/ aluminium gallium nitride (GaN/A1GaN) buffer layer of -10-300 nin thickness, undoped or n-type; a n-type electron emitting layer made of 1-4 min thick n-GaN doped by silicon with a doping level of 10 - 1020 CM-3; a deep part of the single asymmetric quantum well made of a 1-6 rim thick doped or undoped InGaN layer with an In content in range 20-60%; a shallow part the single asymmetric quantum well made of a 5-100 nm thick doped or undoped InGaN layer with an In content in the range 10-20%; a 0. 1 - 1 um thick hole emitting layer made ofp-GaN doped with magnesium at a concentration 1011_1021 CM-1 or doped with constant magnesium at a concentration - 1011 _1020 CM-1 and modulated aluminium isoelectronically co-doped at a concentration - 1011 _1022 cm-3; and a metallic alloy contact to the hole emitting layer.
According to the present invention from another aspect, there is provided a white light emitting diode with a three-level single asymmetric quantum well in an active layer, generating a spectrum in the regions 400-500 rim, 500-600 nin and 550-650 nm, which appears as white to human eyes.
Such a diode may be a GaN based light emitting diode compfising:
a sapphire (A1203) substrate or a silicon carbide (SiC) or a bulk gallium nitride (GaN) or other conductive substrate; a gallium nitride (GaN) buffer layer or a superlattice gallium nitride/ aluminium gallium nitride (GaN/A1GaN) buffer layer of -10-300 ilm thickness, undoped or n-type; an n-type electron emitting layer made of 1-4 pm thick n-GaN doped by silicon with a doping level of 10 - 10211 CM-3; a deepest part of the three-level single asymmetric quantum well made of a 1-10 nin thick doped orundoped InGaN layerwith an In content in range 50100%; a shallowest part of the three-level single asymmetric quantum well, epitaxially deposited and made of a 5-100 nin thick doped or undoped InGaN layer with an In content in the range 10-20%; a part at an intermediate depth of the three-level single asymmetric quantum well rnade of a 1-8 nin content in range 20-50%; doped or undoped InGaN layer with an In a0AA Min thick hole emitting layermade ofp-GaN doped with. magnesium at a concentration - 10 18_ 1020 CM-3 or doped with constant magnesium at a concentration - 1018 _1020 CM-3 and modulated aluminium isoelectronically co-doped at a concentration 1011 _1022 em-3; and a metallic alloy contact to the hole emitting layer.
This invention provides a white-LED design with a single asymmetric quantum well.
In the examples to be described, such a diode comprises an n-type semiconductor layer, which serves as an emitter of electrons, a ptype semiconductor layer, which serves as an emitter of holes, and an active layer. The active layer comprises one asymmetric two-level or three-level quantum well. The asymmetric quantum well generates a light spectrum with two or three maxima in the regions 420-500 nin and 520-650 nffl for a two-level single asymmetric quantum well or in regions 400-500 nm, 500600 mn and 550-650 11111 forthe three-level single asymmetric quantum well, which appears as white to human eyes.
The advantage of the white-LED with one asymmetric quantum well over conventional diodes is the use of no phosphorous for light conversion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 is a diagram exhibiting the structure of a white-LED with a twolevel single asymmetric quantum well in the active layer (Example 1); Fig. 2 shows the position dependent energy band edges of the white-LED structure with a two-level single asymmetric quantum well in the active layer of Example 1 and schematically illustrates the physical principles of its operation; Fig. 3 1 s a diagram exhibiting the structure of a white-LED with a three- level 25 single asymmetric quantum well in the active layer (Example 2); and Fig. 4 shows the position dependent energy band edges of the white-LED structure with a three-level asymmetric quantum well in the active layer of Example 1 and schematically illustrates the physical principles of its operation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following examples, in which the same reference numerals are used for items which are the same in each of them.
Example 1
Fig. 1 shows a white-LED which has a sapphire (A1203) substrate: 1 upon which a superlattice gallium nitride/aluminium gallium nitride (GaN/A1GaN) buffer layer 2 of 200A thickness has been formed. Then, an n-type electron emitting layer 3 was deposited, which is made of 2-3 1.tm thick n-GaN doped by silicon with a doping level Of 5Xl 011 _ 1020 CM-3.
Then, a deep part 4 of a single asymmetric quantum well was epitaxially deposited, which is made of a 10-60A thick InGaN layer with an In content in the range 20-60%.
Then, a shallow part 5 of the single asymmetric quantum well was epitaxially deposited, which is made of a 50-1000 'A thick InGaN layer with an In content in the range 10-20%.
Then, a 0.5 um thick hole emitting layer 7 made of p-GaN doped with constant magnesium at a concentration of 1018 CM-3 and modulated aluminium isoelectronically co-doped at a concentration of 1019 em-' was deposited. On the hole emitting layer 7, a metallic alloy contact 8 is deposited. On the electron emitting layer 3 an ohmic metallic alloy contact 9 is deposited. In a case where the substrate 1 is a conducting substrate (such as n-SiC or n-GaN), the contact 9 may be in contact with the substrate instead of layer 3.
Fig. 2 illustrates the physical principles of the white-LED of Example 1.
Under the applied voltage, a difference in the electrochemical potentials for electrons 10 and holes 11 occurs. This results in an electron current 12 which flows from metallic contact 9 through the n-type electron emitting layer 3 into the active layer of the single asymmetric quantum well consisting of narrow deep part 4 and wide shallow part 5, where they recombine with the holes. The hole current 13 flows from metallic contact 8 through the hole emitting layer 7 into the layer of the single asymmetric active quantum well. At the first stage, the holes are trapped in the wide shallow part 5, where they recombine with electrons, generating light in the range 420-480 mn and then the rest of them are captured in the narrow deep part 4, where they recombine with electrons, generating light in the range 500-650 rim. Thus, the holes move permanently, reducing their potential energy. The electrons are first captured in the narrow deep part 4 of the quantum well, but because of their lighter mass the capture probability is much less then unity and they partly penetrate into the wide shallow part 5.
The above allows the generation of a light spectrum with two maxima in the regions 420-500 rim and 520-650 nin, which appears as white to human eyes.
Example 2
Fig. 3. shows a white-LED which has a sapphire (A1203) substrate 1 upon which a superlattice gallium nitride/aluminium gallium nitride (GaN/A1GaN) buffer layer 2 of 200A thickness is formed. Then, an n-type electron emitting layer 3 was deposited which is made of 2-3 pm thick n-GaN doped by silicon with a doping level of 5x1018 1020 CM-3.
Then, a deepest part 4' of a three-level single asymmetric quantum well was epitaxially deposited, which is made of a 10-60A thick of InGaN layer with an In content in the range 5 0-100%.
Then, a shallowest part 5' of the three-level single asymmetric quantum well was epitaxially deposited, which is made of a 50-IOOOA thick InGaN layer with an In content in the range 10-20%.
Then, a part 6 at an intermediate depth of the three-level single asymmetric quantum well was epitaxially deposited, which is made of a 1060 A thick InGaN layer with an In content in the range 20-50%.
Then, a 0.5 min thick hole emitting layer 7 made of p-GaN doped with constant magnesium at a concentration of 1011 CM-3 and modulated aluminium isoelectronically co-dopcd at a concentration of 1 C cm-' was deposited. On the hole emitting layer 7 a metallic alloy contact 8 is deposited and on the electron emitting layer 3 an olimic metallic alloy contact 9 is deposited. In a case where the substrate 1 is a conducting substrate (such as n-SIC or n-GaN), the contact 9 may be in contact with the substrate instead of layer 3.
Fig. 4 illustrates the physical principles of Example 2.
Under the applied voltage, a difference in the electrochemical potentials for electrons and holes occurs. This results in an electron current 12 which flows from metallic contact 9 through the n-type electron emitting layer 3 into the active layer of the threelevel single asymmetric quantum well consisting of narrow deepest part 4', wide shallowest part 5' and second narrow part 6 with an intermediate depth where they recombine with the holes.
The hole current 13 flows from metallic contact 8 through the hole emitting layer 7 into the three-level asymmetric active quantum well. At the first stage, the holes are partially trapped in the second narrow part 6 of the three-level asymmetric quantum well, where they recombine with electrons, generating light in the range 500-600 rim, then they partially penetrate into the wide shallow part Y, where they recombine with electrons, generating light in the range 400-500 rim and then the rest of them are captured in the narrow deep part 4', where they recombine with electrons, generating light in the range 550-650 rim. This allows the generation of a light spectrum with three maxima in the regions 400-500 rim, 500-600 run and 550-650 mn, which appears as white to huinan eyes.

Claims (1)

  1. Claims
    1.
    2.
    A light emitting diode generating white light directly using an asymmetric quantum well without the use of phosphorous for light spectrum conversion.
    A white light emitting diode with a two-level single asymmetric quantum well in au active layer, generating a spectrum with two maxima in the regions 420-500 nin and 520-650 nin, which appears as white to human eyes.
    A white light emitting diode with a three-level single asymmetric quantum well in an active layer, generating a spectrum in the regions 400-500 lun, 500-600 rim and 550-650 rim, which appears as white to human eyes.
    A GaN based white light emitting diode according to claim 2 compnising:
    a sapphire substrate or a silicon carbide or a bulk gallium nitride or other conductive substrate; a gallium nitride buffer layer or a superlattice gallium nitride/aluminium gallium nitride buffer layer of -10-300 nin thickness, undoped or n-type; an n-type electron emitting layer made of 1-4 1Am thick n-GaN doped by silicon with a doping level of 1018 _ 1020 CM-1; a deep part of the single asymmetric quantum well made of a 1-6 rim thick doped or undoped InGaN layer with an In content in range 20-60%; a shallow part the single asymmetric quantum well made of a 5-100 rim thick doped or undoped InGaN layer with an In content in the range 10-20%; a 0. 1 - 1 lim thick hole emitting layer made of p-GaN doped with magnesium at a concentration - 1018_1020 CM-3 or doped with constant magnesium at a concentration - 10 -10" cm-' and modulated aluminium isoclectronically co- doped at a concentration - 1011 _1022 CM-3; and a metallic alloy contact to the hole emitting layer.
    5. A GaN based white light emitting diode according to claim 3 comprising:
    a sapphire substrate or a silicon carbide or a bulk gallium nitride or other conductive substrate; a gallium nitride buffer layer or a superlattice gallium nitride/aluminium gallium nitride buffer layer of -10-300 nin thickness, undoped or n-type; an n-type electron emitting layer made of 1-4 pm thick n-GaN doped by silicon with a doping level of 101' - 1020 CM-1; a deepest part of the three-level single asymmetric quantum well made of a 1 - 10 mn thick doped or undoped InGaN layer with an In content in the range 50-100%; a shallowest part of the three-level single asymmetric quantum well, epitaxially deposited, and made of a 5-100 nin thick doped or undoped InGaN layer with an In content in the range 10-20%; a part at an intermediate depth of the three-level single asymmetric quantum well made of a 1-8 nin thick doped or undoped InGaN layer with an In content in the range 20-50%; a 0. 1 - 1 im thick hole emitting layer made of p-GaN doped with magnesium at a concentration _1011_1021 CM-1 or doped with constant magnesium at a concentration - 1018 _1020 CM-3 and modulated aluminium isoclectronically co-doped at a concentration - 1011 _1022 CM-1; and a metallic alloy contact to the hole emitting layer.
    A white light emitting diode according to claim 4 or 5, wherein there is an ohmic contact to the electron emitting layer.
    7.
    A white light emitting diode according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the substrate is a silicon carbide or abulk gallium nitride or other conductive substrate and there is an ohmic contact to the substrate.
GB0009153A 2000-04-13 2000-04-13 White light emitting diode with single asymmetric quantum well in active layer Expired - Fee Related GB2361354B (en)

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2009033448A3 (en) * 2007-09-10 2009-07-09 Osram Opto Semiconductors Gmbh Light-emitting structure
US8120012B2 (en) 2006-09-22 2012-02-21 Agency For Science, Technology And Research Group III nitride white light emitting diode
US8125137B2 (en) * 2005-01-10 2012-02-28 Cree, Inc. Multi-chip light emitting device lamps for providing high-CRI warm white light and light fixtures including the same
US8513873B2 (en) 2005-01-10 2013-08-20 Cree, Inc. Light emission device

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0420695A2 (en) * 1989-09-29 1991-04-03 Shin-Etsu Handotai Company Limited Multiple wavelength light emitting device
US5126803A (en) * 1991-03-11 1992-06-30 The Boeing Company Broadband quantum well LED
US5864309A (en) * 1996-10-17 1999-01-26 Winbond Electronics Corp. Serial data timing base modulator
WO2000021144A2 (en) * 1998-09-16 2000-04-13 Cree Inc. VERTICAL GEOMETRY InGaN LED

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0420695A2 (en) * 1989-09-29 1991-04-03 Shin-Etsu Handotai Company Limited Multiple wavelength light emitting device
US5126803A (en) * 1991-03-11 1992-06-30 The Boeing Company Broadband quantum well LED
US5864309A (en) * 1996-10-17 1999-01-26 Winbond Electronics Corp. Serial data timing base modulator
WO2000021144A2 (en) * 1998-09-16 2000-04-13 Cree Inc. VERTICAL GEOMETRY InGaN LED

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8125137B2 (en) * 2005-01-10 2012-02-28 Cree, Inc. Multi-chip light emitting device lamps for providing high-CRI warm white light and light fixtures including the same
US8410680B2 (en) 2005-01-10 2013-04-02 Cree, Inc. Multi-chip light emitting device lamps for providing high-CRI warm white light and light fixtures including the same
US8513873B2 (en) 2005-01-10 2013-08-20 Cree, Inc. Light emission device
US8120012B2 (en) 2006-09-22 2012-02-21 Agency For Science, Technology And Research Group III nitride white light emitting diode
WO2009033448A3 (en) * 2007-09-10 2009-07-09 Osram Opto Semiconductors Gmbh Light-emitting structure
US8390004B2 (en) 2007-09-10 2013-03-05 Osram Opto Semiconductors Gmbh Light-emitting structure

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GB0009153D0 (en) 2000-05-31
GB2361354B (en) 2004-06-30

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Effective date: 20050413