Effect of In incorporation into the quantum well active region on the efficiency of AlGaN-based ultraviolet light-emitting diodes

Improving the internal quantum efficiency is still a major challenge for realizing efficient III-nitride-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with emission wavelengths below 365 nm. Here, we report on the influence of a very low In amount of less than 1% on the luminescence properties of single Ga(In)N/AlGaN quantum well (QW) structures and the performance of AlGaN-based LEDs with an emission wavelength of about 350 nm. The samples were grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy on low defect density AlGaN buffer layers on (0001) sapphire substrates. The temperature dependence of the QW emission energy reveals a clear “S-shape” behaviour indicating a significant carrier localization for In containing QWs. The electroluminescence efficiency of LEDs with a GaInN QW active region could be improved by a factor of 4 compared to LEDs with GaN QW, resulting in a continuous wave (cw) output power of 8.2 mW at 40 mA. (© 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)