High-Efficiency Vertical AlGaInP Light-Emitting Diodes With Conductive
High-Efficiency Vertical AlGaInP Light-Emitting Diodes With Conductive
a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t
Article history: In order to increase extraction efficiency of AlGaInP-based vertical red light-emitting diodes (LEDs),
Received 29 June 2010 AlGaInP LEDs employing a conductive omni-directional reflector (ODR) using transparent conducting
Received in revised form oxide (TCO)/Ag is presented. The ODR consisted of p-type GaP, TCO layer (ITO, IZO, or AZO), and an Ag
5 October 2010
layer. The transmittance of the ITO, IZO, and AZO films were found 96%, 95%, and 91% after annealing at
Accepted 31 January 2011
Available online 26 February 2011
350 C at the wavelength of 620 nm, respectively. Forward voltages of the LEDs with TCO/Ag were
slightly higher than that of the LED with Ag due to the high resistivity of the TCO. However, the
brightness of the AlGaInP LEDs with ODR using ITO, IZO, and AZO measured at 20 mA increased
Keywords:
AlGaInP
significantly by 42%, 38%, and 29% compared with that of the LED with Ag reflector.
Omni-directional reflector Ó 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Vertical red LED
TCO
1567-1739/$ e see front matter Ó 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.cap.2011.01.040
S386 J.W. Seo et al. / Current Applied Physics 11 (2011) S385eS387
Fig. 1. Schematic diagrams of wafer bonding structure with (a) Ag reflector (b) TCO/Ag reflector.
400 nm, respectively. In order to compare reflection of GaP/TCO/Ag for forming the n-electrode (Ni/Ge/Au contacts on n-GaAs) was
ODR structure and Ag reflector, 400 nm-thick Ag metal layers were 350 C. In visible light range, the most of transmittance of TCO films
also deposited on the GaP layer in the other LED sample. The reflec- was highly shown over 80%. ITO, IZO, and AZO films gave trans-
tivity of the Ag film was 90% at 620 nm. PteIneAu metal contacts mission of 96%, 95%, and 91% at the wavelength of 620 nm,
were deposited by e-beam evaporation on top of the Ag reflector. respectively.
These LED samples were bonded to Si substrate with commercially Fig. 3 shows typical currentevoltage characteristics of the LEDs
available metal eutectic bonding process. After wafer bonding, the n- fabricated with Ag reflector and of the LEDs fabricated with
type GaAs substrate and GaInP etching stop layer were removed by GaP/TCO/Ag ODR. The vertical AlGaInP LED with Ag reflector shows
chemical etching solution. Then, Ni, Ge, Au metal contacts were forward bias voltage of 2.05 V at 20 mA. However, the vertical
deposited on n-GaAs contact layer. Ti, Au metal contacts were AlGaInP LEDs with ODR structure using ITO, IZO, and AZO show
deposited on n-AlGaInP as a bonding pad metal and back side metal forward bias voltages of 2.1, 2.13, and 2.2 at 20 mA, respectively,
of p-Si substrate. In order to measure electrical and optical properties which are slightly higher than that of the AlGaInP LED with Ag
of LED samples, these samples were diced into 350 350 ㎛2 chips. reflector. These results can be attributed to the relatively high sheet
resistance of the ITO, IZO, and AZO films. The sheet resistances of
3. Results and discussion the 40 nm-thick ITO, IZO, and AZO films were measured as 104, 105,
and 503 U/sq, respectively.
The optical transmission spectra in regions between 350 nm and Fig. 4 exhibits the light output-current characteristics of the
800 nm wavelength for ITO, IZO, and AZO films are shown in Fig. 2. AlGaInP LEDs fabricated with Ag reflector and ODR structure using
The ITO, IZO, and AZO films, which were deposited on glass TCO. The output power of the LEDs fabricated with ODR structure
substrates, were annealed at 350 C, since the annealing temperature was much higher than that of the LED with Ag reflector. In addition,
100 100
90 80
Transmittance (%)
80 60
Current (mA)
70 AZO 40
GaP/AZO/Ag
IZO
GaP/IZO/Ag
60 ITO 20 GaP/ITO/Ag
o
Annealing temperature 350 C GaP/Ag
50 0
400 500 600 700 800 0 1 2 3 4 5
Wavelength (nm) Voltage (V)
Fig. 2. Optical transmission of TCO films after annealing process of 350 C. Fig. 3. Forward IeV characteristics of Ag reflector LED and TCO/Ag reflector LEDs.
J.W. Seo et al. / Current Applied Physics 11 (2011) S385eS387 S387
scale and ideality factor of the AlGaInP LEDs fabricated with the Ag
reflector and the ODR structure using TCO are shown in Fig. 5.
However, the leakage current reduction in low bias was not
observed in Fig. 5. In addition, the AlGaInP LEDs with Ag reflector
and ODR did not induce significant changes in ideality factors.
These results imply that the enhancement in light output of the
AlGaInP LEDs with ODR cannot be attributed to the degradation of
the LEDs with Ag reflectors by annealing process.
Another possible explanation for the increased light output of
the LEDs fabricated with ODR is the higher reflectivity of ODR
structures. Kim et al. reported that GaInN LEDs with GaN/low-n
ITO/Ag ODR show a 31.6% higher light extraction efficiency than
LEDs with Ag reflector [17]. In addition, Hsu et al. reported that
a 1-mm2 AlGaInP LED employing a ODR using ITO layer showed an
external quantum efficiency of 31.8% at 100 mA [18]. Accordingly,
the enhancement in light output of the LEDs with ODR can be
attributed to the use of a highly reflective ODR and highly trans-
mission of TCO layer.
Fig. 4. Light output of the Ag reflector LED and the TCO/Ag reflector LEDs. The inset 4. Conclusion
shows brightness of same LEDs at operating current of 20 mA.
In summary, we have investigated electrical and optical prop-
erties of the vertical AlGaInP LEDs with Ag reflector and GaP/TCO/Ag
the brightness of same LEDs at operating current of 20 mA is shown
ODR structure. ITO, IZO, and AZO films showed transmittance of
in the inset of Fig. 4. The brightness at 20 mA for the ODR LED using
97%, 96%, and 91% at the wavelength of 620 nm, respectively.
ITO is 151 mcd, comparable to that of the ODR LED using IZO,
Because of highly resistivity of TCO films, AlGaInP LEDs with ODR
147 mcd. This is due to the fact that the transmittance of ITO is
structure using TCO films produced slightly higher forward voltages
higher than that of IZO. The LED with GaP/AZO/Ag ODR having the
than AlGaInP LED with Ag reflector. However, the AlGaInP LEDs with
lowest transmittance of ODR LEDs gives 137 mcd. On the other hand,
ODR structure using ITO, IZO, and AZO showed 42, 38, 29% higher
the brightness of LED with the Ag reflector is as low as 106 mcd. The
brightness at 20 mA than the AlGaInP LED with Ag reflector,
brightness of the LEDs with ODR structure using ITO, IZO, and AZO
respectively.
increased by 42%, 38%, and 29% than that of the AlGaInP LED with Ag
reflector, respectively. The light output intensity of the LEDs with
Acknowledgment
ODR corresponded with result of the transmission of TCO. We
expected that the enhancement in light output of the LEDs with ODR
This work was supported by Mid-career Researcher Program
could be related to damage of Ag reflector and higher reflectivity of
through NRF grant funded by the "MEST (No. 2009-0080313), and
ODR.
was also supported by the WCU program at Sunchon National
One possible explanation for the increased light output of the
University, and this work was supported in part by Research
AlGaInP LEDs fabricated with ODR is degradation of the Ag reflector
Foundation of Engineering College, Sunchon National University.
LED by deep level defect during the annealing process in order to
improve electrical property. Meneghesso et al. reported that the
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Current (mA)