Photonic crystals (PhCs) have attracted much attention during the last decade as a solution to overcome the low extraction efficiency of as-grown light-emitting diodes (LEDs). In this review we describe the underlying physics and summarize recent results obtained with PhC LEDs. Here, the main focus is on diffracting PhC. In order to quantify the benefit from the incorporation of PhCs for diffracting light a comparison by simulations between a PhC LED and a standard state-of-theart LED is carried out. Finally, the impact of the PhC on the LEDs emission characteristics will be discussed with respect tó etendue-limited applications.Azimuthal emission pattern of an InGaN/GaN LED with hexagonal PhC at a single wavelength. Background: SEM (scanning electron microscope) image of the PhC structure.

We demonstrate the fabrication of N-face GaN nanorods by metal organic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE), using continuous-flux conditions. This is in contrast to other approaches reported so far, which have been based on growth modes far off the conventional growth regimes. For position control of nanorods an SiO(2) masking layer with a dense hole pattern on a c-plane sapphire substrate was used. Nanorods with InGaN/GaN heterostructures have been grown catalyst-free. High growth rates up to 25 microm h(-1) were observed and a well-adjusted carrier gas mixture between hydrogen and nitrogen enabled homogeneous nanorod diameters down to 220 nm with aspect ratios of approximately 8:1. The structural quality and defect progression within nanorods were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Different emission energies for InGaN quantum wells (QWs) could be assigned to different side facets by room temperature cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements.

We identify a quantum well internal high density Augerlike loss process as the origin of the so called ‘droop’ of internal quantum efficiency (IQE) in InGaN based light emitters. The IQE of such a device peaks at small current densities and then monotonously decreases towards higher currents. The origin of this ‘droop’ has been widely discussed recently and many possible mechanisms have been proposed for explaining the effect. We compare temperature and carrier density dependent electroluminescence and photoluminescence measurements of a green emitting single quantum‐well (SQW) LED over a wide parameter range. The carrier‐density as well as temperature dependence of efficiency is identical in both measurements, indicating that the decrease is due to a high density quantum‐well internal loss process. The data can be accurately modeled assuming an Auger‐like loss process with C = 3.5 × 10–31 cm6s–1. We suggest phonon‐ or defect‐assisted Auger recombination as the origin of this loss‐channel. The high current performance can be improved if a thick InGaN SQW or a multi quantum‐well (MQW) is used. This is in very good agreement with theoretical simulations (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

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Degradation mechanism beyond device self-heating in high power light-emitting diodes J. Appl. Phys. 109, 094509 (2011); 10.1063/1.3580264Optical studies of degradation of AlGaN quantum well based deep ultraviolet light emitting diodes