Real-Time Tunable Gas Sensing Platform Based on SnO2 Nanoparticles Activated by Blue Micro-Light-Emitting Diodes.

Micro-light-emitting diodes (µLEDs) have gained significant interest as an activation source for gas sensors owing to their advantages, including room temperature operation and low power consumption. However, despite these benefits, challenges still exist such as a limited range of detectable gases and slow response. In this study, we present a blue µLED-integrated light-activated gas sensor array based on SnO2 nanoparticles (NPs) that exhibit excellent sensitivity, tunable selectivity, and rapid detection with micro-watt level power consumption. The optimal power for µLED is observed at the highest gas response, supported by finite-difference time-domain simulation. Additionally, we first report the visible light-activated selective detection of reducing gases using noble metal-decorated SnO2 NPs. The noble metals induce catalytic interaction with reducing gases, clearly distinguishing NH3, H2, and C2H5OH. Real-time gas monitoring based on a fully hardware-implemented light-activated sensing array was demonstrated, opening up new avenues for advancements in light-activated electronic nose technologies.

Native defect clustering-induced carrier localization centers leading to a reduction of performance in Ga0.70In0.30N/GaN quantum wells.

In this study, we aimed to better understand the mechanism for creating carrier localization centers (CLCs) in Ga0.70In0.30N/GaN quantum wells (QWs) and examine their impacts on device performance. Particularly, we focused on the incorporation of native defects into the QWs as a main cause of the mechanism behind the CLC creation. For this purpose, we prepared two GaInN-based LED samples with and without pre-trimethylindium (TMIn) flow-treated QWs. Here, the QWs were subjected to a pre-TMIn flow treatment to control the incorporation of defects/impurities in the QWs. In an effort to investigate how the pre-TMIn flow treatment affects the incorporation of native defects into the QWs, we employed steady-state photo-capacitance and photo-assisted capacitance-voltage measurements, and acquired high-resolution micro-charge-coupled device images. The experimental results showed that CLC creation in the QWs during growth is closely related to the native defects, most likely VN-related defects/complexes, since they have a strong affinity to In atoms and the nature of clustering. Moreover, the CLC creation is fatal to the performance of the yellow-red QWs since they simultaneously increase the non-radiative recombination rate, decrease the radiative recombination rate, and increase operating voltage-unlike blue QWs.

Identifying the cause of thermal droop in GaInN-based LEDs by carrier- and thermo-dynamics analysis.

This study aims to elucidate the carrier dynamics behind thermal droop in GaInN-based blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) by separating multiple physical factors. To this end, first, we study the differential carrier lifetimes (DCLs) by measuring the impedance of a sample LED under given driving-current conditions over a very wide operating temperature range of 300 K-500 K. The measured DCLs are decoupled into radiative carrier lifetime (τR) and nonradiative carrier lifetime (τNR), via utilization of the experimental DCL data, and then very carefully investigated as a function of driving current over a wide range of operating temperatures. Next, to understand the measurement results of temperature-dependent τR and τNR characteristics, thermodynamic analysis is conducted, which enables to look deeply into the temperature-dependent behavior of the carriers. On the basis of the results, we reveal that thermal droop is originated by the complex dynamics of multiple closely interrelated physical factors instead of a single physical factor. In particular, we discuss the inherent cause of accelerated thermal droop with elevated temperature.

Electroluminescence from h-BN by using Al2O3/h-BN multiple heterostructure.

Two-dimensional (2-D) hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has attracted considerable attention for deep ultraviolet optoelectronics and visible single photon sources, however, realization of an electrically-driven light emitter remains challenging due to its wide bandgap nature. Here, we report electrically-driven visible light emission with a red-shift under increasing electric field from a few layer h-BN by employing a five-period Al2O3/h-BN multiple heterostructure and a graphene top electrode. Investigation of electrical properties reveals that the Al2O3 layers act as potential barriers confining injected carriers within the h-BN wells, while suppressing the electrostatic breakdown by trap-assisted tunneling, to increase the probability of radiative recombination. The result highlights a promising potential of such multiple heterostructure as a practical and efficient platform for electrically-driven light emitters based on wide bandgap two-dimensional materials.

Light output performance of red AlGaInP-based light emitting diodes with different chip geometries and structures.

We investigated the optical and electrical properties of red AlGaInP light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as functions of chip size, p-cladding layer thickness, and the number of multi-quantum wells (MQWs). External quantum efficiency (EQE) decreased with decreasing chip size. The ideality factor gradually increased from 1.47 to 1.95 as the chip size decreased from 350 µm to 15 µm. This indicates that the smaller LEDs experienced larger carrier loss due to Shockley-Read-Hall nonradiative recombination at sidewall defects. S parameter, defined as ∂lnL/∂lnI, increased with decreasing chip size. Simulations and experimental results showed that smaller LEDs with 5 pairs of MQWs had over 30% higher IQE at 5 A/cm2 than the LED with 20 pairs of MQWs. These results show that the optimization of the number of QWs is needed to obtain maximum EQE of micro-LEDs.

Optoelectronic Performance Variations in InGaN/GaN Multiple-Quantum-Well Light-Emitting Diodes: Effects of Potential Fluctuation.

We investigate the cause of the optoelectronic performance variations in InGaN/GaN multiple-quantum-well blue light-emitting diodes, using three different samples from an identical wafer grown on a c-plane sapphire substrate. Various macroscopic measurements have been conducted, revealing that with increasing strain in the quantum wells (QWs), the crystal quality improves with an increasing peak internal quantum efficiency while the droop becomes more severe. We propose to explain these variations using a model where the in-plane local potential fluctuation in QWs is considered. Our work is contrasted with prior works in that macroscopic measurements are utilized to find clues on the microscopic changes and their impacts on the device performances, which has been rarely attempted.

Graphene interlayer for current spreading enhancement by engineering of barrier height in GaN-based light-emitting diodes.

Pristine graphene and a graphene interlayer inserted between indium tin oxide (ITO) and p-GaN have been analyzed and compared with ITO, which is a typical current spreading layer in lateral GaN LEDs. Beyond a certain current injection, the pristine graphene current spreading layer (CSL) malfunctioned due to Joule heat that originated from the high sheet resistance and low work function of the CSL. However, by combining the graphene and the ITO to improve the sheet resistance, it was found to be possible to solve the malfunctioning phenomenon. Moreover, the light output power of an LED with a graphene interlayer was stronger than that of an LED using ITO or graphene CSL. We were able to identify that the improvement originated from the enhanced current spreading by inspecting the contact and conducting the simulation.

Antimony surfactant effect on green emission InGaN/GaN multi quantum wells grown by MOCVD.

An improvement in the optical and structural properties of green emitting InGaN/GaN Multi Quantum Wells (MQWs) was obtained by using antimony (Sb) as a surfactant during InGaN growth. Keeping the growth conditions for InGaN constant, Sb was introduced during InGaN growth while varying the [Sb]/([In]+ [Ga]) flow ratio from 0 to 0.16%. The analysis results suggest that using the optimum [Sb]/([In]+[Ga]) ratio (0.04%-0.1%) during InGaN growth greatly improves the optical and structural properties of the MQWs without incorporating much Sb into the growing film and that the emission wavelength is also maintained with a slight blue shift. Under the optimum conditions of 0.05% Sb addition, the PL intensity was increased by as much as 3.3 times compared to the sample without Sb addition. The root mean square (RMS) roughness was reduced from 2.2 nm to 1.9 nm and the pit density was decreased from 2.0 x 10(10) cm(-2) to 1.2 x 10(10) cm(-2) when the amount of Sb was increased from 0% to 0.05%.

Effect of current spreading on the efficiency droop of InGaN light-emitting diodes.

We investigate the effects of current spreading on the efficiency droop of InGaN blue light-emitting diodes with lateral injection geometry based on numerical simulation. Current crowding near the mesa edge and the decrease in the current spreading length with current density are shown to cause significant efficiency droop. It is found that the efficiency droop can be reduced considerably as the uniformity of current spreading is improved by increasing the resistivity of the p-type current spreading layer or decreasing the sheet resistance of the n-GaN layer. The droop reduction is well interpreted by the uniformity of carrier distribution in the plane of quantum wells.