LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (LED)

• US 20090032798A1
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Tan, Michael Renne Ty, Fattal, David A., Wang, Shih-Yuan, Bratkovski, Alexandre M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,044,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/13
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/025 Physical imperfections, e.g. particular concentration or distribution of impurities
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/22 Roughened surfaces, e.g. at the interface between epitaxial layers

Abstract

A light-emitting diode (LED) includes a p-type layer, an n-type layer, and an active layer arranged between the p-type layer and the n-type layer. The active layer includes at least one quantum well adjacent to at least one modulation-doped layer. Alternatively, or in addition thereto, at least one surface of the n-type layer or the p-type layer is texturized to form a textured surface facing the active layer.

Claims

1. A light-emitting diode (LED) comprising:

a p-type layer;

an n-type layer; and

an active layer arranged between the p-type layer and the n-type layer, wherein the active layer comprises at least one quantum well adjacent to at least one modulation-doped layer.

2. The LED of claim 1, further comprising:

an electrode having an opening provided through the electrode to allow for the emission of light, wherein the light is generated spontaneously in the active layer when the LED is electrically biased to cause a movement of carriers into the active layer.

3. The LED of claim 1, wherein the active layer comprises a plurality of quantum wells and a plurality of modulation-doped layers arranged in an alternating configuration.

4. The LED of claim 1, wherein the modulation-doped layers include p-type doping.

5. The LED of claim 1, wherein the LED includes a double heterostructure.

6. The LED of claim 1, wherein the overall size of the LED is reduced to less than about 70 microns in order to reduce capacitance.

7. The LED of claim 1, wherein the LED further comprises a surface grating to direct light emitting from the active layer.

8. The LED of claim 1, wherein at least one of the p-type layer and the n-type layer includes a texturized surface facing the active layer.

9. The LED of claim 1, wherein the LED operates in a photonic interconnect for optically transmitting data at speeds above 1 Gigabyte per second.

10. A light-emitting diode (LED) comprising:

a p-type layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface faces an active layer;

an n-type layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface faces an active layer; and

the active layer arranged between the p-type layer and the n-type layer, wherein the first surface of at least one of the p-type layer and the n-type layer is texturized to form a textured surface facing the active layer.

11. The LED of claim 10, wherein the first surface of the p-type layer and the first surface of the n-type layer are both texturized to form two textured surfaces facing the active layer.

12. The LED of claim 10, wherein the textured surface is at least one of a regular or an irregular pattern.

13. The LED of claim 10, wherein the first surface of the p-type layer and the n-type layer are adjacent to the active layer.

14. The LED of claim 10, wherein the active layer includes a plurality of quantum wells and a plurality of modulation-doped layers arranged in an alternating configuration.

15. The LED of claim 10, further comprising:

an electrode having an opening provided through the electrode to allow for the emission of light, wherein the light is generated spontaneously in the active layer when the LED is electrically biased to cause a movement of carriers into the active layer.

16. The LED of claim 10, wherein the LED includes a double heterostructure.

17. The LED of claim 10, wherein the LED operates in a photonic interconnect for optically transmitting data at speeds above 1 Gigabyte per second.

18. A method of fabricating a high speed light emitting diode (LED) operable to emit light at speeds above 1 Gigabyte per second, said method comprising:

either a first set of steps, which include

providing an n-type layer or a p-type layer;

texturizing a first surface of the n-type layer or the p-type layer to create a textured surface on the n-type layer or the p-type layer;

growing an active layer on the textured surface of the n-type layer or the p-type layer; and

providing the other of the p-type layer or the n-type layer on the active layer;

or

a second set of steps, which include

providing the p-type layer or the n-type layer;

forming an active layer on the p-type layer or the n-type layer, wherein the active layer includes at least one quantum well adjacent to at least one modulation-doped layer; and

providing the other of the p-type layer or the n-type layer on the active layer;

or

both the first set of steps and the second set of steps.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

providing additional p-type layers and n-type layers to form a double heterostructure.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein texturizing the first surface of the n-type layer or the p-type layer comprises:

at least one of lithographic imprinting and nanoimprinting the first surface of the n-type layer or the p-type layer to form the textured surface.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

providing an electrode on the LED, wherein the electrode includes an opening through the electrode to allow for the emission of light, wherein the light is generated spontaneously in the active layer when the LED is electrically biased to cause a movement of carriers into the active layer.