• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.312-312
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• 2013

GaN based light emitting diodes (LEDs) are important devices that are being used extensively in our daily life. For example, these devices are used in traffic light lamps, outdoor full-color displays and backlight of liquid crystal display panels. To realize high-brightness GaN based LEDs for solid-state lighting applications, the development of p-type ohmic electrodes that have low contact resistivity, high optical transmittance and high refractive index is essential. To this effect, indiumtin oxide (ITO) have been investigated for LEDs. Among the transparent electrodes for LEDs, ITO has been one of the promising electrodes on p-GaN layers owing to its excellent properties in optical, electrical conductivity, substrate adhesion, hardness, and chemical inertness. Sputtering and e-beam evaporation techniques are the most commonly used deposition methods. Commonly, ITO films on p-GaN by sputtering have better transmittance and resistivity than ITO films on p-GaN by e-bam evaporation. However, ITO films on p-GaN by sputtering have higher specific contact resistance, it has been demonstrated that this is due to possible plasma damage on the p-GaN in the sputtering process. In this paper, we have investigated the advanced sputtering using plasma damage-free p-electrode. Prepared the ITO films on the GaN based LEDs by e-beam evaporation, normal sputtering and advanced sputtering. The ITO films on GaN based LEDs by sputtering showed better transmittance and sheets resistance than ITO films on the GaN based LEDs by e-beam evaporation. Finally, fabricated of GaN based LEDs by using advanced sputtering. And compared the electrical properties (measurement by using C-TLM) and structural properties (HR-TEM and FE-SEM) of ITO films on GaN based LEDs produced by e-beam evaporation, normal sputtering and advanced sputtering. As a result, It is expected to form plasma damage free-electrode, and better light output power and break down voltage than LEDs by e-beam evaporation and normal sputter.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.150-152
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• 2005

We investigated the fabrication and characteristics of spin-polarized LEDs based on GaN using (Ga,Mn)N as spin injection source. (Ga,Mn)N thin films were found to exhibit the ferromagnetic ordering above room temperature and the negative MR up to room temperature. The electrical characteristics in spin LEDs did not degraded in spite of the insertion of (Ga,Mn)N films. In EL spectra of spin LEDs, it is confirmed that spin LEDs emit the strong light at 7 K as well as room temperature. These results suggest that it is possible to emit spin-polarized light in our spin LEDs.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1056-1060
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• 2005

We investigated the fabrication and characteristics of the nitride-based spin-polarized LEDs with room-temperature ferromagnetic (Ga,Mn)N layer as a spin injection source. The (Ga,Mn)N thin films having room-temperature ferromagnetic ordering were found to exhibit the negative MR and anomalous Hall resistance up to room temperature, revealing the existence of spin-polarized electrons in (Ga,Mn)N films at room temperature. The electrical characteristics in the spin LEDs did not degraded in spite of the insertion of the (Ga,Mn)N layer into the LED structure. In EL spectra of the spin LEDs, it is confirmed that the devices produce intense EL emission at 7 K as well as room temperature. These results are expected to open up new opportunities to realize room-temperature operating semiconductor spintronic devices.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.441-448
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• 2002

The electrical properties of the GaN-based green light emitting diodes(LEDs) with the Mg-doped p-GaN layer activated in $N_2$ or $O_2$ ambient have been compared. For the $N_2$ -ambient activation the current-voltage behavior of LEDs has been found to be improved when the Mg dopants activation was performed in the higher temperature. However, for the $O_2$-ambient activation the current-voltage characteristic has been observed to be enhanced when the Mg dopants activation was carried out in the lower temperature. The minimum forward voltage at 20mA was obtained to be 4.8 V for LEDs with the p-GaN layer activated at $900^{\circ}C$ in the $N_2$ ambient and 4.5V for LEDs with the p-GaN layer treated at $700^{\circ}C$ in the $O_2$ambient, repectively. The forward voltage reduction of the LEDs treated in the $O_2$-ambient may be related to the oxygen co-doping of the p-GaN layer during the activation process. The $O_2$ -ambient activation process is useful for the enhancement of the LED performance as well as the fabrication process since this process can activate the Mg dopants in the low temperature.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 1998

Based on the escape cone concepts, high-brightness light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been analyzed. In AlGaAs or InGaAlP LEDs, photon absorption in the ohmic region under the electrode is known to be significant. Thus, ins general, a thick window layer (WL) and a transparent substrate (TS) would minimize photon shielding by the electrodes and considerably improve photon output coupling efficiency. However, the schemes do not seem to be necessary in InGaN system. Photon absorption in ohmic contact to a wide bandgap semiconductor such as GaN may be negligible and, as a result, the significant photon shielding by the electrodes will not degrade the photon output coupling efficiency so much. The photon output coupling efficiency estimated in InGaN LEDs is about 2.5 - 2.8 times that of the conventional high-brightness LED structures based on both WL and TS schemes. As a result, the extenal quantum efficiency in InGaN LEDs is as high as 9% despite the presumably very low internal quantum efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.24-24
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• 2003

Research activity in the III-V nitrides materials system has increased markedly in the past several years ever since high-brightness blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) became commercially available. Despite of excellent optical properties of the GaN, however, inherently poor thermal property of the sapphire used as a substrate material n these devices may lead to thermal degradation of devices, especially during their high power operation. Therefore, dependable thermal analysis and packaging schemes of GaN-based LEDs are necessary for solid lighting applications under high power operation. In this paper, emphasis will be placed upon thermal design of GaN-based LEDs. Thermal measurements of LEDs on chip and packaging scale were performed using the liquid crystal thermographic technology and micro thermocouples for different bias conditions. By a series of optical arrangement, hot spots with specific transition temperatures were obtained with increasing input power. Thermal design of LEDS was made using the finite element method and analytical unit temperature profile approach with optimal boundary conditions. The experimental results were compared to the simulated data and the results agree well enough for the establishment of dependable prediction of thermal behavior in these devices. The paper will present a more detailed understanding of the thermal analysis of the GaN-based blue and white LEDs for high power applications.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.219-219
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• 2013

The effect of an electron blocking layer (EBL) on V-I curves in GaN/InGaN multiple quantum well is investigated. For the first time, we found that curves were intersected at 3.012 V and analyzed the reason for intersection. The forward voltage in LEDs with an p-AlGaN EBL is larger than without p-AlGaN EBL at low injection current because the Mg doping efficiency for p-GaN layer was higher than that of p-AlGaN layer. However, the forward voltage in LEDs with an p-AlGaN EBL is smaller than without p-AlGaN EBL at high injection current because the carriers overflow from the active layer when injection current increases in LEDs without p-AlGaN EBL and in case of LED with p-AlGaN EBL, the carriers are blocked by EBL.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.279.2-279.2
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• 2016

InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) have been attracted much attention as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in the visible and UV regions. Particularly, quantum efficiency of green LEDs is decreased dramatically as approaching to the green wavelength (~500 nm). This low efficiency has been explained by quantum confined Stark effect (QCSE) induced by piezoelectric field caused from a large lattice mismatch between InGaN and GaN. To improve the quantum efficiency of green LED, several ways including epitaxial lateral overgrowth that reduces differences of lattice constant between GaN and sapphire substrates, and non-polar method that uses non- or semi-polar substrates to reduce QCSE were proposed. In this study, graded short-period InGaN/GaN superlattice (GSL) was grown below the 5-period InGaN/GaN MQWs. InGaN/GaN MQWs were grown on the patterned sapphire substrates by vertical-metal-organic chemical-vapor deposition system. Five-period InGaN/GaN MQWs without GSL structure (C-LED) were also grown to compare with an InGaN/GaN GSL sample. The luminescence properties of green InGaN/GaN LEDs have been investigated by using photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL (TRPL) measurements. The PL intensities of the GSL sample measured at 10 and 300 K increase about 1.2 and 2 times, respectively, compared to those of the C-LED sample. Furthermore, the PL decay of the GSL sample measured at 10 and 300 K becomes faster and slower than that of the C-LED sample, respectively. By inserting the GSL structures, the difference of lattice constant between GaN and sapphire substrates is reduced, resulting that the overlap between electron and hole wave functions is increased due to the reduced piezoelectric field and the reduction in dislocation density. As a results, the GSL sample exhibits the increased PL intensity and faster PL decay compared with those for the C-LED sample. These PL and TRPL results indicate that the green emission of InGaN/GaN LEDs can be improved by inserting the GSL structures.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.283-287
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• 2014

Square lattice nano-hole arrays with diameters and periodicities of 200 and 500 nm, respectively, are fabricated on InGaN/GaN blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) using electron-beam lithography and inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching processes. Cathodoluminescence (CL) investigations show that light emission intensity from the LEDs with the nano-hole arrays is enhanced compared to that from the planar sample. The CL intensity enhancement factor decreases when the nano-holes penetrate into the multiple quantum wells (MQWs) due to the plasma-induced damage and the residues. Wet chemical treatment using KOH solution is found to be an effective method for light extraction from the nano-patterned LEDs, especially, when the nano-holes penetrate into the MQWs. About 4-fold CL intensity enhancement factor is achieved by the KOH treatments after the dry etching for the sample with a 250-nm deep nano-hole array.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.23-23
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• 2003

GaN-related semiconductors are of great technological importance for the fabrication of optoelectronic devices, such as blue and ultra violet light emitting diodes (LEDs), laser diodes, and photo-detectors. One of the most important applications of GaN-based LEDs is solid-state lighting, which could replace incandescent bulbs and ultimately fluorescent lamps. For solid-state lighting applications, the achievement of high extraction efficiency in LED structures is essential. For flip-chip LEDs (FCLEDS), the formation of low resistance and high reflective p-GaN contact is crucial. So far, a wide variety of different methods have been employed to improve the ohmic properties of p-type contacts to GaN. For example, surface treatments using different chemical solutions have been successfully used to produce high-quality ohmic contacts, Metallization schemes, such as Ta/Ti contacts to p-GaN, were also investigated. For these contacts, the removal of hydrogen atoms from the Mg atoms doped n the GaN was argued to be responsible for low contact resistances.