Light Emitting Diodes and Fabrication Method

• US 20170141261A1
• Filed: 01/28/2017
• Published: 05/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Xiamen Sanan Optoelectronics Technology Company Limited (Sanan Optoelectronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Xiamen Sanan Optoelectronics Technology Company Limited (Sanan Optoelectronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: ZHENG, Jinjian, XUN, Feilin, WU, Mingyue, LI, Zhiming, ZHENG, Jiansen, DU, Weihua, DENG, Heqing, CHOU, Chilun, LI, Shuiqing, KANG, Junyong
• Application Number:
  US15/418,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20170141261A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0025 relating to coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/007 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0075 comprising nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/10 with a light reflecting structure, e.g. semiconductor Bragg reflector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/12 with a stress relaxation structure, e.g. buffer layer

Abstract

A light emitting diode (LED) includes quantum dots serving as the quantum well layer in the multiple-quantum well (MQW) structure, which can greatly improve the combination efficiency of electrons and holes due to quantum confinement effect; a nanoscale metal reflective layer is formed between the quantum barrier layer with nanoscale pits to instantly reflect the light emitted downwards from the MQW to the front of epitaxial structure; in addition, the nanoscale metal reflective layer can form surface plasmon to further improve light emitting efficiency.

Claims

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

a first-conductive type semiconductor layer;

a light emitting layer multiple-quantum well (MQW) structure; and

a second-conductive type semiconductor layer;

wherein the light emitting layer MQW structure comprises;

a first quantum barrier layer with nanoscale pits;

a nanoscale metal reflective layer;

a plurality of quantum dots forming a quantum well layer; and

a second quantum barrier layer.

2. The LED of claim 1, wherein the nanoscale metal reflective layer is disposed over a surface of the nanoscale pits, the plurality of quantum dots are disposed over a surface of the metal reflective layer, and the second quantum barrier layer is disposed over the first quantum barrier layer, the metal reflective layer, and the quantum dots.

3. The LED of claim 2, wherein the nanoscale metal reflective layer is a laminated or a dotted layer.

4. The LED of claim 2, wherein the metal reflective layer comprises at least one of Ag or Al.

5. The LED of claim 2, wherein the nanoscale pits are in regular and uniform distribution.

6. The LED of claim 1, wherein the plurality of quantum dots are filled in the nanoscale pits, the nanoscale metal reflective layer is disposed over a surface of the plurality of quantum dots, and the second quantum barrier layer is disposed over the first quantum barrier layer, the metal reflective layer, and the plurality of quantum dots.

7. The LED of claim 6, wherein the nanoscale metal reflective layer is a laminated or a dotted layer.

8. The LED of claim 6, wherein the metal reflective layer comprises at least one of Ag or Al.

9. The LED of claim 6, wherein the nanoscale pits are in regular and uniform distribution.

10. A method of fabricating a light emitting diode (LED), the method comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a first-conductive type semiconductor layer, a light emitting layer multiple quantum well (MQW) structure and a second-conductive type semiconductor layer in sequence over the substrate through epitaxial growth,

wherein the light emitting layer MQW structure is formed by;

forming a first quantum barrier layer over the first-conductive type semiconductor layer through epitaxial growth;

forming nanoscale pits over the first quantum barrier layer through corrosion;

forming a nanoscale metal reflective layer;

forming a plurality of quantum dots as a quantum well layer through epitaxial growth; and

forming a second quantum barrier layer through epitaxial growth over the first quantum barrier layer, the metal reflective layer, and the quantum dots;

wherein the LED comprises;

the first conductive type semiconductor layer;

the light emitting layer multiple-quantum well (MQW) structure; and

the second conductive type semiconductor layer;

wherein the light emitting layer MQW structure comprises;

the first quantum barrier layer with nanoscale pits;

the nanoscale metal reflective layer;

the plurality of quantum dots forming a quantum well layer; and

the second quantum barrier layer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the nanoscale metal reflective layer is disposed over a surface of the nanoscale pits, the plurality of quantum dots are disposed over a surface of the metal reflective layer, and the second quantum barrier layer is disposed over the first quantum barrier layer, the metal reflective layer, and the quantum dots.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first quantum barrier layer is formed through epitaxial growth by inputting mixed gas sources of TEGa, NH₃ and N₂, wherein the growth temperature is 800-1,000°

C.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the nanoscale pits of the first quantum barrier layer are formed by:

raising temperature to 1,000-1,200°

C., closing gas sources of TEGa, NH₃ and N₂, and inputting H₂ to make the surface of the first quantum barrier layer into nanoscale pits through decomposition and corrosion.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the metal reflective layer is formed by:

controlling the growth temperature at 750-900°

C.;

closing H₂, N₂ and NH₃, and inputting TMAl sources; and

making the metal reflective layer completely cover the nanoscale pits through annealing, wherein, the metal reflective layer is 1-10 nm thick.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the quantum dots are formed on the nanoscale metal reflective layer surface through epitaxial growth by:

controlling the growth temperature below 750°

C.;

closing TMAl source and inputting N₂, NH₃, TEGa and TMIn sources.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the second quantum barrier layer is formed by:

inputting TEGa source, NH₃ and N₂;

controlling growth direction as three-dimensional growth, wherein, the growth temperature is 750-900°

C.;

the pressure is 200-500 Torr;

the growth time is 1-5 minute(s); and

the pressure is 50-300 Torr;

or controlling the growth direction as two-dimensional growth to make the layer cover on the first quantum barrier layer, the metal reflective layer and the quantum dots through epitaxial lateral overgrown (ELOG) to completely level up the quantum dots, wherein, the growth temperature is 800-950°

C.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the nanoscale metal reflective layer is disposed over a surface of the nanoscale pits, the plurality of quantum dots are disposed over a surface of the metal reflective layer, and the second quantum barrier layer is disposed over the first quantum barrier layer, the metal reflective layer, and the quantum dots.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the first quantum barrier layer is formed through epitaxial growth by inputting mixed gas sources of TEGa, NH₃ and N₂, wherein the growth temperature is 800-1,000°

C.;

the nanoscale pits of the first quantum barrier layer are formed by;

raising temperature to 1,000-1,200°

C., closing gas sources of TEGa, NH₃ and N₂, and inputting H₂ to make the surface of the first quantum barrier layer into nanoscale pits through decomposition and corrosion;

wherein the metal reflective layer is formed by;

controlling the growth temperature at 750-900°

C.;

closing H₂, N₂ and NH₃, and inputting TMAl sources; and

making the metal reflective layer completely cover the nanoscale pits through annealing, wherein, the metal reflective layer is 1-10 nm thick;

wherein the quantum dots are formed on the nanoscale metal reflective layer surface through epitaxial growth by;

controlling the growth temperature below 750°

C.;

closing TMAl source and inputting N₂, NH₃, TEGa and TMIn sources; and

the second quantum barrier layer is formed by;

inputting TEGa source, NH₃ and N₂;

controlling growth direction as three-dimensional growth, wherein, the growth temperature is 750-900°

C.;

the pressure is 200-500 Torr;

the growth time is 1-5 minute(s); and

the pressure is 50-300 Torr;

or controlling the growth direction as two-dimensional growth to make the layer cover on the first quantum barrier layer, the metal reflective layer and the quantum dots through epitaxial lateral overgrown (ELOG) to completely level up the quantum dots, wherein, the growth temperature is 800-950°

C.

19. A light-emitting system comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), each LED comprising:

a first-conductive type semiconductor layer;

a light emitting layer multiple-quantum well (MQW) structure; and

a second-conductive type semiconductor layer;

wherein the light emitting layer MQW structure comprises;

a first quantum barrier layer with nanoscale pits;

a nanoscale metal reflective layer;

a plurality of quantum dots forming a quantum well layer; and

a second quantum barrier layer.

20. The light-emitting system of claim 19, wherein the nanoscale metal reflective layer is disposed over a surface of the nanoscale pits, the plurality of quantum dots are disposed over a surface of the metal reflective layer, and the second quantum barrier layer is disposed over the first quantum barrier layer, the metal reflective layer, and the quantum dots.