1. Thermal and efficiency droop in InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes: decoupling multiphysics effects using temperature-dependent RF measurements
- Author
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Morteza Monavarian, Andrew Aragon, Daniel F. Feezell, and Arman Rashidi
- Subjects
Materials science ,Multiphysics ,lcsh:Medicine ,02 engineering and technology ,01 natural sciences ,Article ,law.invention ,law ,0103 physical sciences ,Radiative transfer ,Lasers, LEDs and light sources ,Voltage droop ,lcsh:Science ,Quantum well ,Diode ,010302 applied physics ,Multidisciplinary ,business.industry ,lcsh:R ,Rate equation ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Inorganic LEDs ,Optoelectronics ,lcsh:Q ,0210 nano-technology ,business ,Decoupling (electronics) ,Light-emitting diode - Abstract
Multiphysics processes such as recombination dynamics in the active region, carrier injection and transport, and internal heating may contribute to thermal and efficiency droop in InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs). However, an unambiguous methodology and characterization technique to decouple these processes under electrical injection and determine their individual roles in droop phenomena is lacking. In this work, we investigate thermal and efficiency droop in electrically injected single-quantum-well InGaN/GaN LEDs by decoupling the inherent radiative efficiency, injection efficiency, carrier transport, and thermal effects using a comprehensive rate equation approach and a temperature-dependent pulsed-RF measurement technique. Determination of the inherent recombination rates in the quantum well confirms efficiency droop at high current densities is caused by a combination of strong non-radiative recombination (with temperature dependence consistent with indirect Auger) and saturation of the radiative rate. The overall reduction of efficiency at elevated temperatures (thermal droop) results from carriers shifting from the radiative process to the non-radiative processes. The rate equation approach and temperature-dependent pulsed-RF measurement technique unambiguously gives access to the true recombination dynamics in the QW and is a useful methodology to study efficiency issues in III-nitride LEDs.
- Published
- 2019