Analysis of lasers as a solution to efficiency droop in solid-state lighting

Chow, Weng W.; Crawford, Mary H.

doi:10.1063/1.4932582

Analysis of lasers as a solution to efficiency droop in solid-state lighting

Journal Article · Tue Oct 06 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4932582· OSTI ID:1236233

Chow, Weng W. ^[1]; Crawford, Mary H. ^[1]

Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

This letter analyzes the proposal to mitigate the efficiency droop in solid-state light emitters by replacing InGaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with lasers. The argument in favor of this approach is that carrier-population clamping after the onset of lasing limits carrier loss to that at threshold, while stimulated emission continues to grow with injection current. A fully quantized (carriers and light) theory that is applicable to LEDs and lasers (above and below threshold) is used to obtain a quantitative evaluation. The results confirm the potential advantage of higher laser output power and efficiency above lasing threshold, while also indicating disadvantages including low efficiency prior to lasing onset, sensitivity of lasing threshold to temperature, and the effects of catastrophic laser failure. As a result, a solution to some of these concerns is suggested that takes advantage of recent developments in nanolasers.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC04-94AL85000

OSTI ID:: 1236233

Report Number(s):: SAND--2015-8937J; 608309

Journal Information:: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 107; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Investigation into the Anomalous Temperature Characteristics of InGaN Double Quantum Well Blue Laser Diodes Using Numerical Simulation Ryu, Han-Youl Nanoscale Research Letters, Vol. 12, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1186/s11671-017-2141-6	journal	May 2017
Investigation of Saturation Effects in Ceramic Phosphors for Laser Lighting Krasnoshchoka, Anastasiia; Thorseth, Anders; Dam-Hansen, Carsten Materials, Vol. 10, Issue 12, p. 1407 https://doi.org/10.3390/ma10121407	journal	December 2017
A Thermally Robust La ₃ Si ₆ N ₁₁ :Ce-in-Glass Film for High-Brightness Blue-Laser-Driven Solid State Lighting You, Shihai; Li, Shuxing; Zheng, Peng Laser & Photonics Reviews, Vol. 13, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1002/lpor.201800216	journal	November 2018
Negative characteristic temperature of GaN-based blue laser diode investigated by numerical simulation Ryu, Han-Youl Optical and Quantum Electronics, Vol. 49, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-016-0861-y	journal	January 2017
Emission from quantum-dot high-β microcavities: transition from spontaneous emission to lasing and the effects of superradiant emitter coupling Kreinberg, Sören; Chow, Weng W.; Wolters, Janik Light: Science & Applications, Vol. 6, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1038/lsa.2017.30	journal	February 2017
Quantum-optical influences in optoelectronics—An introduction Chow, Weng W.; Reitzenstein, Stephan Applied Physics Reviews, Vol. 5, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5045580	journal	December 2018
Delayed Transition to Coherent Emission in Nanolasers with Extended Gain Media Lohof, F.; Barzel, R.; Gartner, P. Physical Review Applied, Vol. 10, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevapplied.10.054055	journal	November 2018
Emission from quantum-dot high-β microcavities: transition from spontaneous emission to lasing and the effects of superradiant emitter coupling Kreinberg, Sören; Chow, Weng W.; Wolters, Janik Technische Universität Berlin https://doi.org/10.14279/depositonce-9960	text	January 2017
Delayed transition to coherent emission in nanolasers with extended gain media Lohof, Frederik; Barzel, Roy; Gartner, Paul arXiv https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1809.08976	text	January 2018

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Analysis of lasers as a solution to efficiency droop in solid-state lighting

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