III-V Nitride Device Structures on Patterned Substrates

The usefulness of III-V nitride materials has been well established for fabrication of visible and ultraviolet optoelectronic devices and high-power electronic devices. One important method for increasing the light extraction efficiency in these devices is to use a patterned substrate on which the device is subsequently grown. Using a standard LED structure (normally used with non-patterned substrates) on patterned substrates, however, has exhibited detrimental performance in output power. There is a need for LED device structures that allow for the realization of high output power LEDs grown on patterned substrates.

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara have developed novel device structures for use in LEDs grown on patterned substrates. By incorporating nitride interlayers, these devices minimize the deleterious effect present in the conventional device structures of LEDs deposited on patterned substrates. In doing so, they enhance the output power of LEDs and increase the light extraction efficiency.