Enhancement of light output power of GaN-based light-emitting diodes using a SiO2 nano-scale structure on a p-GaN surface

Abstract

GaN (gallium nitride)-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with a nano-scale SiO2 structure between a transparent indium-tin oxide (ITO) layer and p-GaN were fabricated. The forward voltage at 20 mA for a GaN-based LED with a SiO2 nano-scale structure was slightly higher than that of a conventional GaN-based LED because the total area of the p-type metal contact between the transparent ITO layer and p-GaN was smaller. However, the light output power for the GaN-based LED with a nano-scale structured SiO2 at 20 mA was 24% higher than that for a conventional GaN-based LED structure. This increase in the light output power is mostly attributed to the scattering of light from the SiO2 photonic quasi-crystal (PQC) layer.