Prototype blue microdisplays have been fabricated from InGaN/GaN quantum wells. The device has a dimension of 0.5×0.5 mm2 and consists of 10×10 pixels 12 μm in diameter. Emission properties such as electroluminescence spectra, output power versus forward current (L–I) characteristic, viewing angle, and uniformity have been measured. Due to the unique properties of III-nitride wide-band-gap semiconductors, microdisplays fabricated from III nitrides can potentially provide unsurpassed performance, including high-brightness/resolution/contrast, high-temperature/high-power operation, high shock resistance, wide viewing angles, full-color spectrum capability, long life, high speed, and low-power consumption, thus providing an enhancement and benefit to the present capabilities of miniature display systems.

Microdisk light-emitting diodes ͑-LEDs͒ with diameter of about 12 m have been fabricated from InGaN/GaN quantum wells. Photolithographic patterning and inductively coupled plasma dry etching have been employed to fabricate these-LED devices. Device characteristics, such as the current-voltage characteristics, light output power, and electroluminescence ͑EL͒ spectra have been measured and compared with those of conventional broad-area LEDs. Our results showed that, for an identical area, the quantum efficiencies of-LED are enhanced over the conventional broad-area LEDs due to an enhanced current density and possibly microsize effects. The implications of our results on the design of future UV/blue microoptoelectronic devices are discussed.

Articles you may be interested inThe effect of silicon doping in the barrier on the electroluminescence of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well light emitting diodes

We report on the synthesis of Er-doped III–N double heterostructure light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and their electroluminescence (EL) properties. The device structures were grown through a combination of metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) on c-plane sapphire substrates. The AlGaN layers, with an Al concentration of ∼12%, were prepared by MOCVD and doped with Si or Mg to achieve n- and p-type conductivity, respectively. The Er+O-doped GaN active region was grown by MBE and had a thickness of 50 nm. The Er concentration was estimated to be ∼1018 cm−3. The multilayer n-AlGaN/GaN:Er/p-AlGaN structures were processed into LEDs using standard etching and contacting methods. Several different LEDs were produced and EL spectra were recorded with both forward and reverse bias conditions. Typically, the EL under reverse bias was five to ten times more intense than that under forward bias. The LEDs displayed a number of narrow emission lines representative of the GaN:Er system (green: 539 nm, 559 nm; infrared: 1000 nm, 1530 nm). While some current crowding was observed, green emission was visible under ambient room conditions at 300 K. At cryogenic temperatures, the emission lines increased in intensity and had a narrower linewidth. EL spectra were recorded down to 10 K and the L-I characteristics were systematically measured. The power output of the brightest LEDs was approximately 2.5 W/m2 at 300 K.

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