Light output enhancement of GaN-based light-emitting diodes by maskless surface roughening

• Published in: Microelectronic engineering 2015-05, Vol.139, p.39-42
• Main Authors: Yang, Yibin, Ren, Yuan, Chen, Yangxiang, Liu, Minggang, Chen, Weijie, Han, Xiaobiao, Lin, Xiuqi, Liao, Qiang, Zang, Wenjie, Luo, Hui, Lin, Jiali, Wu, Zhisheng, Liu, Yang, Zhang, Baijun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Drying; Electric power generation; Electrical properties; Etching; ICP dry etching; Inductively coupled plasma; Light-emitting diodes; Maskless surface roughening; Reactive ion etching; Roughening
• ISSN: 0167-9317; 1873-5568
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mee.2015.04.088

[Display omitted] •Surface morphologies were roughened without the use of masks.•Surface morphologies were optimized by varying Cl2 concentration.•Surface morphologies were optimized by adjusting RF bias power.•Light output of surface-roughened LEDs was enhanced by 43.2%. In the present paper, the surface of GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) was roughened by inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching (ICP-RIE) system. Without the utilization of etching mask, the roughened surface morphologies were optimized by varying Cl2 concentration in Cl2/BCl3/N2 mixing gas and adjusting RF bias power parameters of the ICP system. There was no obvious degradation of electrical properties of surface-roughened LEDs after the ICP dry etching process. Furthermore, the light output power of surface-roughened LEDs was enhanced by 43.2%, compared with conventional LEDs.