Improved Performance of GaN-Based Light-Emitting Diodes Grown on Si (111) Substrates with NH₃ Growth Interruption

• Main Authors: Sang-Jo Kim, Semi Oh, Kwang-Jae Lee, Sohyeon Kim, Kyoung-Kook Kim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
• Series: Micromachines
• Subjects: AlN buffer layer; NH₃ growth interruption; strain relaxation; GaN-based LED; low defect density
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/12/4/399
• ISSN: 2072-666X

We demonstrate the highly efficient, GaN-based, multiple-quantum-well light-emitting diodes (LEDs) grown on Si (111) substrates embedded with the AlN buffer layer using NH₃ growth interruption. Analysis of the materials by the X-ray diffraction omega scan and transmission electron microscopy revealed a remarkable improvement in the crystalline quality of the GaN layer with the AlN buffer layer using NH₃ growth interruption. This improvement originated from the decreased dislocation densities and coalescence-related defects of the GaN layer that arose from the increased Al migration time. The photoluminescence peak positions and Raman spectra indicate that the internal tensile strain of the GaN layer is effectively relaxed without generating cracks. The LEDs embedded with an AlN buffer layer using NH₃ growth interruption at 300 mA exhibited 40.9% higher light output power than that of the reference LED embedded with the AlN buffer layer without NH₃ growth interruption. These high performances are attributed to an increased radiative recombination rate owing to the low defect density and strain relaxation in the GaN epilayer.