Light emitting diode (LED)

• US 8,044,381 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• 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: Fattal, David A., Ty Tan, Michael Renne, Wang, Shih-Yuan, Bratkovski, Alexandre M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Zandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, KHANH B
• Application Number:
  US11/830,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20090032798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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) configured to spontaneously emit light without stimulation when electrically biased in a forward direction of an active layer, the LED comprising:

a p-type layer;

an n-type layer; and

the 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, and

a surface of at least one of the p-type layer and the n-type layer is texturized to form a textured surface having an irregular or random texture facing the active 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 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 the surface of the at least one of the p-type layer and the n-type layer includes a surface on the p-type layer and a surface on the n-type layer having the irregular or the random texture 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. The LED of claim 1 further comprising:

a structure including the p-type layer, the n-type layer, and the active layer, wherein the structure has a size of less than 70 microns.

11. The LED of claim 10, wherein the size is about 10 microns.

12. 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 is 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 having an irregular or random texture facing the active layer.

13. The LED of claim 12, wherein the first surface of the p-type layer and the first surface of the n-type layer are both texturized to form two irregularly or randomized textured surfaces facing the active layer.

14. The LED of claim 12, wherein the first surface of the p-type layer and the n-type layer are adjacent to the active layer.

15. The LED of claim 12, wherein the active layer includes a plurality of quantum wells and a plurality of modulation-doped layers arranged in an alternating configuration.

16. The LED of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of modulation-doped layers include p-type doping.

17. The LED of claim 12, 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.

18. The LED of claim 12, wherein the LED includes a double heterostructure.

19. The LED of claim 12, wherein the LED operates in a photonic interconnect for optically transmitting data at speeds above 1 Gigabyte per second.

20. The LED of claim 12 further comprising:

a structure including the p-type layer, the n-type layer, and the active layer, wherein the structure has a size of less than 70 microns.

21. The LED of claim 20, wherein the size is about 10 microns.