Plasmonic light emitting diode

• US 9,263,637 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Tan, Michael R. T., Fattal, David A., Fiorentino, Marco, Wang, Shih-Yuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Li, Meiya
• Application Number:
  US13/145,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20110272669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,573 Days
• Field of Search: 257/79, 257/91, 257/94, 257/98, 257/103, 257/E33.001, 257/E33.008, 257/E33.063, 257/E33.065, 257/E33.069, 438/141, 372/46.01, 372/46.013
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0016 relating to electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0062 for devices with an active region comprising only III-V compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/02 characterised by the semiconductor bodies
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/04 with a quantum effect structure or superlattice, e.g. tunnel junction
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/30 containing only elements of Group III and Group V of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/387 with a plurality of electrode regions in direct contact with the semiconductor body and being electrically interconnected by another electrode layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/40 Materials therefor

Abstract

A light emitting diode (100 or 150) includes a diode structure containing a quantum well (120), an enhancement layer (142), and a barrier layer (144 or 148) between the enhancement layer (142) and the quantum well (120). The enhancement layer (142) supports plasmon oscillations at a frequency that couples to photons produced by combination of electrons and holes in the quantum well (120). The barrier layer serves to block diffusion between the enhancement layer (142) and the diode structure.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode comprising:

a diode structure containing a quantum well;

an enhancement layer that supports plasmon oscillations at a first frequency, wherein the plasmon oscillations having the first frequency couple to photons produced by combination of electrons and holes in the quantum well; and

a barrier layer and a patterned contact between the enhancement layer and the quantum well, wherein the barrier layer and the patterned contact block diffusion between the enhancement layer and the diode structure and wherein at least the barrier layer allows the plasmon oscillations of the enhancement layer to interact with the quantum well.

2. The light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein the enhancement layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silver and gold.

3. The light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein the barrier layer comprises an insulating layer.

4. The light emitting diode of claim 3, wherein the insulating layer comprises titanium dioxide.

5. The light emitting diode of claim 3, wherein the patterned contact is through the barrier layer, the patterned contact being electrically conductive.

6. The light emitting diode of claim 5, wherein the patterned contact comprises a metal.

7. The light emitting diode of claim 3, wherein the insulating layer is less than 10 nm thick.