Single-step-fabricated disordered metasurfaces for enhanced light extraction from LEDs
Abstract While total internal reflection (TIR) lays the foundation for many important applications, foremost fibre optics that revolutionised information technologies, it is undesirable in some other applications such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which are a backbone for energy-efficient light s...
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Series: | Light: Science & Applications |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-021-00621-7 |
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doaj-5335c148168541af925d9a261da915512021-09-12T11:28:44ZengNature Publishing GroupLight: Science & Applications2047-75382021-09-011011910.1038/s41377-021-00621-7Single-step-fabricated disordered metasurfaces for enhanced light extraction from LEDsPeng Mao0Changxu Liu1Xiyan Li2Mengxia Liu3Qiang Chen4Min Han5Stefan A. Maier6Edward H. Sargent7Shuang Zhang8School of Physics and Astronomy, University of BirminghamSchool of Physics and Astronomy, University of BirminghamDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of TorontoDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of TorontoNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciencesand Collaborative Innovation Centre of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing UniversityNational Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciencesand Collaborative Innovation Centre of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing UniversityChair in Hybrid Nanosystems, Nanoinstitute Munich, Faculty of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet MuenchenDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of TorontoSchool of Physics and Astronomy, University of BirminghamAbstract While total internal reflection (TIR) lays the foundation for many important applications, foremost fibre optics that revolutionised information technologies, it is undesirable in some other applications such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which are a backbone for energy-efficient light sources. In the case of LEDs, TIR prevents photons from escaping the constituent high-index materials. Advances in material science have led to good efficiencies in generating photons from electron–hole pairs, making light extraction the bottleneck of the overall efficiency of LEDs. In recent years, the extraction efficiency has been improved, using nanostructures at the semiconductor/air interface that outcouple trapped photons to the outside continuum. However, the design of geometrical features for light extraction with sizes comparable to or smaller than the optical wavelength always requires sophisticated and time-consuming fabrication, which causes a gap between lab demonstration and industrial-level applications. Inspired by lightning bugs, we propose and realise a disordered metasurface for light extraction throughout the visible spectrum, achieved with single-step fabrication. By applying such a cost-effective light extraction layer, we improve the external quantum efficiency by a factor of 1.65 for commercialised GaN LEDs, demonstrating a substantial potential for global energy-saving and sustainability.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-021-00621-7 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Peng Mao Changxu Liu Xiyan Li Mengxia Liu Qiang Chen Min Han Stefan A. Maier Edward H. Sargent Shuang Zhang |
spellingShingle |
Peng Mao Changxu Liu Xiyan Li Mengxia Liu Qiang Chen Min Han Stefan A. Maier Edward H. Sargent Shuang Zhang Single-step-fabricated disordered metasurfaces for enhanced light extraction from LEDs Light: Science & Applications |
author_facet |
Peng Mao Changxu Liu Xiyan Li Mengxia Liu Qiang Chen Min Han Stefan A. Maier Edward H. Sargent Shuang Zhang |
author_sort |
Peng Mao |
title |
Single-step-fabricated disordered metasurfaces for enhanced light extraction from LEDs |
title_short |
Single-step-fabricated disordered metasurfaces for enhanced light extraction from LEDs |
title_full |
Single-step-fabricated disordered metasurfaces for enhanced light extraction from LEDs |
title_fullStr |
Single-step-fabricated disordered metasurfaces for enhanced light extraction from LEDs |
title_full_unstemmed |
Single-step-fabricated disordered metasurfaces for enhanced light extraction from LEDs |
title_sort |
single-step-fabricated disordered metasurfaces for enhanced light extraction from leds |
publisher |
Nature Publishing Group |
series |
Light: Science & Applications |
issn |
2047-7538 |
publishDate |
2021-09-01 |
description |
Abstract While total internal reflection (TIR) lays the foundation for many important applications, foremost fibre optics that revolutionised information technologies, it is undesirable in some other applications such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which are a backbone for energy-efficient light sources. In the case of LEDs, TIR prevents photons from escaping the constituent high-index materials. Advances in material science have led to good efficiencies in generating photons from electron–hole pairs, making light extraction the bottleneck of the overall efficiency of LEDs. In recent years, the extraction efficiency has been improved, using nanostructures at the semiconductor/air interface that outcouple trapped photons to the outside continuum. However, the design of geometrical features for light extraction with sizes comparable to or smaller than the optical wavelength always requires sophisticated and time-consuming fabrication, which causes a gap between lab demonstration and industrial-level applications. Inspired by lightning bugs, we propose and realise a disordered metasurface for light extraction throughout the visible spectrum, achieved with single-step fabrication. By applying such a cost-effective light extraction layer, we improve the external quantum efficiency by a factor of 1.65 for commercialised GaN LEDs, demonstrating a substantial potential for global energy-saving and sustainability. |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-021-00621-7 |
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