Broadband visible light source based on AllnGaN light emitting diodes

• US 6,665,329 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2002
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions Of Sandia LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Crawford, Mary H., Nelson, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ip, Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phillip
• Application Number:
  US10/165,824
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 257/13, 257/17, 257/97, 257/103, 372/75
• US Class Current: 372/75
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/32 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/502 Wavelength conversion materials

Abstract

A visible light source device is described based on a light emitting diode and a nanocluster-based film. The light emitting diode utilizes a semiconductor quantum well structure between n-type and p-type semiconductor materials on the top surface a substrate such as sapphire. The nanocluster-based film is deposited on the bottom surface of the substrate and can be derived from a solution of MoS₂, MoSe₂, WS₂, and WSe₂ particles of size greater than approximately 2 nm in diameter and less than approximately 15 nm in diameter, having an absorption wavelength greater than approximately 300 nm and less than approximately 650 nm.

Claims

1. A visible light source device, comprising:

a substrate layer comprising a top and bottom,

a GaN buffer layer grown on the top of said substrate layer,

a GaN layer grown on said GaN buffer layer,

a n-Al_0.2Ga_0.8N layer grown on said GaN layer,

a semiconductor quantum well structure grown on said n-Al_0.2Ga_0.8N layer,

a p-Al_0.2Ga_0.8N layer grown on said semiconductor quantum well structure,

a p-Al_0.1Ga_0.9N layer grown on said p-Al_0.2Ga_0.8N layer,

a p-GaN contact layer; and

a nanocluster film having strong absorption in the ultraviolet wavelength range and strong emission in the visible wavelength range deposited on the bottom of said substrate layer.

2. The visible light source device of claim 1 wherein said nanocluster film comprises nanocluster particles of size greater than approximately 2 nm in diameter and less than approximately 15 nm in diameter.

3. The visible light source device of claim 2 wherein said nanocluster particles comprise a material selected from MoS₂, MoSe₂, WS₂, WSe₂, CdS, CdSe, ZnS, and ZnSe.

4. The visible light source device of claim 1 wherein said nanocluster film has an absorption wavelength greater than approximately 300 nm.

5. The visible light source device of claim 4 wherein said nanocluster film has an absorption wavelength less than approximately 650 nm.

6. The visible light source device of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor quantum well structure comprises multiple alternating layers of a GaN material layer and a Al_0.2Ga_0.8N material layer.

7. The visible light source device of claim 6 wherein said GaN material layer is approximately 30 Angstroms in thickness.

8. The visible light source device of claim 6 wherein said Al_0.2Ga_0.8N material layer is approximately 70 Angstroms in thickness.

9. The visible light source device of claim 7 wherein indium is added into said GaN material layer.

10. The visible light source device of claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises a sapphire material.

11. The visible light source device of claim 1 further comprising a first electrical contact which makes Ohmic contact to said p-Al_0.2Ga_0.8N layer and a second electric contact which makes Ohmic contact to said n-Al_0.2Ga_0.8N layer.

12. The visible light source device of claim 11 wherein said p-Al_0.1Ga_0.9N layer and said p-Al_0.2Ga_0.8N layer are doped with magnesium atoms.

13. The visible light source device of claim 1 wherein said GaN layer is approximately 3 microns in thickness.

14. The visible light source device of claim 1 wherein said n-Al_0.2Ga_0.8N layer is approximately 0.1 microns in thickness.

15. The visible light source device of claim 1 wherein said p-Al_0.2Ga_0.8N layer is approximately 0.1 microns in thickness.

16. The visible light source device of claim 1 wherein said p-Al_0.1Ga_0.9N layer is approximately 0.2 microns in thickness.

17. The visible light source device of claim 1 wherein said nanocluster film has a thickness less than approximately 1 micron.

18. The visible light source device of claim 2 wherein said nanocluster particles comprise MoS₂ with a diameter greater than approximately 3 nm and less than approximately 5 nm to produce a broadband white source.

19. The visible light source device of claim 3 wherein said nanocluster particles additionally comprise Au.