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Carrier dynamics in blue, cyan, and green InGaN/GaN LEDs measured by small-signal electroluminescence

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0151301· OSTI ID:1985461

We study the carrier dynamics for c-plane InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with various emission wavelengths near the green gap using a small-signal electroluminescence method. The LEDs were grown by Lumileds using state-of-the-art growth conditions. Radiative and non-radiative recombination rates are numerically separated, and the carrier recombination lifetime and carrier density are obtained. Experiment shows that the causes of efficiency reduction at longer wavelength in the present structures are injection efficiency decrease, radiative recombination rate decrease, and imbalance of the increase in Auger–Meitner and radiative terms due to the interplay between the carrier–current density relationship and the quantum-confined Stark effect (QCSE). Here, the effects of QCSE, phase-space filling, and the carrier–current density relationship on efficiency reduction at longer wavelengths are examined separately with experimental data and Schrödinger–Poisson calculations. In addition, we confirm the scaling law between C(n) and B(n) under electrical injection and find that the increase in carrier density at a given current density is the primary cause for lower radiative efficiency at high current density in longer wavelength LEDs. Conversely, we do not observe a significant efficiency reduction at longer wavelengths from extrinsic material degradation.

Research Organization:
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
Grant/Contract Number:
EE0009163
OSTI ID:
1985461
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1991298
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 21 Vol. 122; ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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