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The enhanced optical output power of AlGaN/GaN deep ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV LEDs) were demonstrated by using the breakdown-induced conductive channels (BICCs). The BICCs could be made by electrical reverse biasing between two adjacent contact pads formed on top p-type layers with a certain distance, causing an electrical breakdown of pn junction and hence a generation of conductive channels. Accordingly, the reflective Ni/Ag/Pt electrodes could be formed simultaneously on the top p-type layer and the other p-type layer with the BICCs, acting as the p- and n-contacts, respectively. The deep UV LEDs fabricated with the BICCs produced the enhanced optical output power by 15 % as compared to the reference LEDs, which were fabricated with the conventional Ti/Al/Ti/Au layers formed on mesa-etched n-type layer. This could be due to the reduced light absorption at the n-contact pads, indicating that the use of BICCs will be very suitable for obtaining better output performance of deep UV emitters.
This work was supported by Samsung Research Funding Center of Samsung Electronics under Project Number SRFC-IT1501-06, and by the Technology Innovation Program (Leading design of future environment products using advanced photocatalytic purification sterilization technology) (Project No. 20006767) funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy, Republic of Korea.