Content ⦿ Objectives ⦿ What is LED? ⦿ 4 Main Issues ⦿ By the end of this lecture you must be able to … ⦿ For the LED lectures you need: ⦿ Construction of Typical LED ⦿ Injection Luminescence in LED ⦿ LED Construction ⦿ References 3 Lectures on LED OBJECTIVES: ❑To learn the basic design principles of LED ❑To relate properties of semiconductor material to the principle of LED ❑To be able select appropriate materials for different types of LED ❑To be able to apply knowledge of band gap engineering to design appropriate materials for a particular LED ❑ To acknowledge other materials that can and have been used in LED What is LED?
t o rs d u c ity c o n u a l m i gq e S brin ht! o l ig t
LED are semiconductor p-n junctions that under forward bias conditions can emit radiation by electroluminescence in the UV, visible or infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The qaunta of light energy released is approximately proportional to the band gap of the semiconductor. 1907 Publication report on Curious Phenomenon On applying a potential to a crystal of carborundum (SiC), the material gave out a yellowish light
H.J. Round, Electrical World, 49, 309, 1907
4 Main Issues 1. The device configuration 2. Materials requirements 3. Materials selection 4. Material issues By the end of this lecture you must be able to … ❑ Draw a typical construction of an LED. ❑ Explain your drawing. ❑ State all the issues regarding the materials selection of an LED. ❑ State all of the possible answers regarding your materials issues. ❑ Explain band gap engineering ❑ Explain the isoelectronic doping in GaAsP system ❑ State examples of materials that emit, UV, Vis, IR lights Applications of LEDs Your fancy telephone, i-pod, palm pilot and digital camera Getting to know LED Advantages of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) Longevity: The light emitting element in a diode is a small conductor chip rather than a filament which greatly extends the diode’s life in comparison to an incandescent bulb (10 000 hours life time compared to ~1000 hours for incandescence light bulb) Efficiency: Diodes emit almost no heat and run at very low amperes. Greater Light Intensity: Since each diode emits its own light Cost: Not too bad Robustness: Solid state component, not as fragile as incandescence light bulb LED chip is the part that we shall deal with in this course Luminescence is the process behind light emission
⦿ Luminescence is a term used to describe the
emission of radiation from a solid when the solid is supplied with some form of energy. ⦿ Electroluminescence excitation results from the application of an electric field ⦿ In a p-n junction diode injection electroluminescence occurs resulting in light emission when the junction is forward biased How does it work?
P-n junction Electrical
Contacts
A typical LED needs a p-n junction
There are a lot of electrons and holes at the
junction due to excitations Electrons from n need to be injected to p to promote recombination
Junction is biased to produce even more Recombination
e-h and to inject electrons from n to p for produces light!! recombination to happen Injection Luminescence in LED ❑ Under forward bias – majority carriers from both sides of the junction can cross the depletion region and entering the material at the other side. ❑ Upon entering, the majority carriers become minority carriers ❑ For example, electrons in n-type (majority carriers) enter the p-type to become minority carriers ❑ The minority carriers will be larger minority carrier injection ❑ Minority carriers will diffuse and recombine with the majority carrier. ❑ For example, the electrons as minority carriers in the p-region will recombine with the holes. Holes are the majority carrier in the p-region. ❑ The recombination causes light to be emitted ❑ Such process is termed radiative recombination. Recombination and Efficiency (a) (b) p n+ p n+
ECE Eg g hν =Eg EF eVo EV
Electrons in CB
Holes in VB ◘Ideal LED will have all injection electrons to take part in the recombination process ◘In real device not all electron will recombine with holes to radiate light ◘Sometimes recombination occurs but no light is being emitted (non-radiative) ◘Efficiency of the device therefore can be described ◘Efficiency is the rate of photon emission over the rate of supply electrons Emission wavelength, λg ◘ The number of radiative recombination is proportional to the carrier injection rate ◘ Carrier injection rate is related to the current flowing in the junction ◘ If the transition take place between states (conduction and valance bands) the emission wavelength, λg = hc/(EC-EV) ◘ EC-EV = Eg ◘ λg = hc/Eg Calculate ⦿ If GaAs has Eg = 1.43eV ⦿ What is the wavelength, λ it emits? g ⦿ What colour corresponds to the wavelength? ⦿ lamda=hc/Eg=hc/(1.43*1.6*10^-19)=869nm Construction of Typical LED Al Light output SiO2
n Electrical contacts
Substrate LED Construction ❑ Efficient light emitter is also an efficient absorbers of radiation therefore, a shallow p-n junction required. ❑ Active materials (n and p) will be grown on a lattice matched substrate. ❑ The p-n junction will be forward biased with contacts made by metallisation to the upper and lower surfaces. ❑ Ought to leave the upper part ‘clear’ so photon can escape. ❑ The silica provides passivation/device isolation and carrier confinement Efficient LED ❑ Need a p-n junction (preferably the same semiconductor material only different dopants) ❑ Recombination must occur Radiative transmission to give out the ‘right coloured LED’ ❑ ‘Right coloured LED’ hc/λ = Ec-Ev = Eg so choose material with the right Eg ❑ Direct band gap semiconductors to allow efficient recombination ❑ All photons created must be able to leave the semiconductor ❑ Little or no reabsorption of photons Correct band gap Direct band gap
Materials Requirements Efficient radiative Material can be pathways must exist made p and n-type UV-ED λ ~0.5-400nm Direct band gap Eg > 3.25eV materials LED - λ ~450-650nm e.g. GaAs not Si Eg = 3.1eV to 1.6eV IR-ED- λ ~750nm- 1nm Eg = 1.65eV
Candidate Materials
Materials with refractive Readily doped n or p-types
index that could allow light to ‘get out’ Band Structure of DBS vs IBS Direct Bandgap Semiconductor ⦿ A direct band-gap (DBG) semiconductor is one in which the maximum energy level of the valence band aligns with the minimum energy level of the conduction band with respect to momentum.
⦿ In a DBG semiconductor, a direct recombination
takes place with the release of the energy equal to the energy difference between the recombining particles. ⦿ The probability of a radiative recombination is high.
⦿ The efficiency factor of a DBG
semiconductor is higher. Thus, DBG semiconductors are always preferred over IBG for making optical sources.
⦿ Example, Gallium Arsenide (GaAs).
Indirect Bandgap Semiconductor ⦿ An Indirect band-gap (IBG) semiconductor is one in which the maximum energy level of the valence band and the minimum energy level of the conduction band are misaligned with respect to momentum. ⦿ In case of a IBG semiconductor, due to a relative difference in the momentum, first, the momentum is conserved by release of energy and only after the both the momenta align themselves, a recombination occurs accompanied with the release of energy.
The probability of a radiative recombination is comparatively low.
The efficiency factor of a IBG semiconductor is lower.
