Improving InGaN-LED performance by optimizing the patterned sapphire substrate shape

The epitaxial growths of GaN films and GaN-based LEDs on various patterned sapphire substrates （PSSes） with different values of fill factor （f） and slanted angle （0） are investigated in detail. The threading dislocation （TD） density is lower in the film grown on the PSS with a smaller fill factor, resulting in a higher internal quantum efficiency （IQE）. Also the ability of the LED to withstand the electrostatic discharge （ESD） increases as the fill factor decreases. The illumination output power of the LED is affected by both 0 and f. It is found that the illumination output power of the LED grown on the PSS with a lower production of tan 0 and f is higher than that with a higher production of tan 0 and f.

Design of patterned sapphire substrates for GaN-based light-emitting diodes

A new method for patterned sapphire substrate （PSS） design is developed and proven to be reliable and cost-effective. As progress is made with LEDs＇ luminous efficiency, the pattern units of PSS become more complicated, and the effect of complicated geometrical features is almost impossible to study systematically by experiments only. By employing our new method, the influence of pattern parameters can be systematically studied, and various novel patterns are designed and optimized within a reasonable time span, with great improvement in LEDs＇ light extraction efficiency （LEE）. Clearly, PSS pattern design with such a method deserves particular attention. We foresee that GaN-based LEDs on these newly designed PSSs will achieve more progress in the coming years.

Increased effective reflection and transmission at the GaN-sapphire interface of LEDs grown on patterned sapphire substrates

The effect of patterned sapphire substrate（PSS） on the top-surface（P-Ga N-surface） and the bottomsurface（sapphire-surface） of the light output power（LOP） of Ga N-based LEDs was investigated, in order to study the changes in reflection and transmission of the Ga N-sapphire interface. Experimental research and computer simulations were combined to reveal a great enhancement in LOP from either the top or bottom surface of Ga N-based LEDs, which are prepared on patterned sapphire substrates（PSS-LEDs）. Furthermore, the results were compared to those of the conventional LEDs prepared on the planar sapphire substrates（CSS-LEDs）. A detailed theoretical analysis was also presented to further support the explanation for the increase in both the effective reflection and transmission of PSS-Ga N interface layers and to explain the causes of increased LOP values. Moreover, the bottom-surface of the PSS-LED chip shows slightly increased light output performance when compared to that of the top-surface. Therefore, the light extraction efficiency（LEE） can be further enhanced by integrating the method of PSS and flip-chip structure design.

Formation mechanism of subtrenches on cone-shaped patterned sapphire substrate

In this paper, the cone-shaped patterned sapphire substrates (PSS) were etched by an inductively couple plasma with BCl 3 as the reacting gas. The influence of the operating pressure and the RF bias power on subtrenches of the cone-shaped PSS and the formation mechanism of subtrenches were investigated. The profiles of patterns were characterized by FESEM (field emission scanning electron microscope). It showed that the subtrench size varied with the operating pressure and the RF bias power. As the operating pressure increased from 0.2 Pa to 0.9 Pa, the subtrenches changed from narrow and deep to wide and shallow; then to narrower and shallower. When the RF bias power varied from 200 W to 600 W, the subtrenches gradually became noticeable. The FESEM results also indicated that the subtrenches were formed due to the ion scattering effect which was caused by tapered sidewalls and charges accumulation. It is discovered that the scattering effect is closely related with the operating pressure and RF bias power.

Selective Growth of GaN on Slope Cone-shaped Patterned Sapphire Substrate

Cone-shaped patterned sapphire substrate was prepared by inductively coupled plasma etching and GaN nucleation layer was grown on it by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition.A selective growth of GaN nucleation layer was found on the slope of the cone-shaped patterned sapphire substrat,and the distribution morphology of GaN had significantly changed after it was recrystallized.GaN selective growth and redistribution were analyzed by investigating the distribution of crystallographic planes on the cone surface and the atom array of specific planes at atom level.

Low threading dislocation density in GaN films grown on patterned sapphire substrates

The growth process of three-dimensional growth mode（3D） switching to two-dimensional growth mode （2D） is investigated when GaN films are grown on cone-shaped patterned sapphire substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition.The growth condition of the 3D-2D growth process is optimized to reduce the threading dislocation density（TDD）.It is found that the condition of the 3D layer is critical.The 3D layer keeps growing under the conditions of lowⅤ/Ⅲratio,low temperature,and high pressure until its thickness is comparable to the height of the cone-shaped patterns.Then the 3D layer surrounds the cone-shaped patterns and has inclined side facets and a top（0001） plane.In the following 2D-growth process,inclined side facets coalesce quickly and the interaction of TDs with the side facets causes the TDs to bend over.As a result,the TDD of GaN films can decrease to 1×10~8 cm^（-2）,giving full-width at half maximum values of 211 and 219 arcsec for（002） and（102） omega scans, respectively.

The growth and characterization of GaN films on cone-shaped patterned sapphire by MOCVD

GaN films are grown on cone-shaped patterned sapphire substrates （CPSSs） by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, and the influence of the temperature during the middle stage of GaN growth on the threading dislocation （TD） density of GaN is investigated. High-resolution X-ray diffraction （XRD） and cathodeluminescence （CL） were used to characterize the GaN films. The XRD results showed that the edge-type dislocation density of GaN grown on CPSS is remarkably reduced compared to that of GaN grown on conventional sapphire substrates （CSSs）. Furthermore, when the growth temperature in the middle stage of GaN grown on CPSS decreases, the full width at half maximum of the asymmetry （102） plane of GaN is reduced. This reduction is attributed to the enhancement of vertical growth in the middle stage with a more triangular-like shape and the bending of TDs. The CL intensity spatial mapping results also showed the superior optical properties of GaN grown on CPSS to those of GaN on CSS, and that the density of dark spots of GaN grown on CPSS induced by nonradiative recombination is reduced when the growth temperature in the middle stage decreases.