InGaN gallium nitride light-emitting diodes with reflective electrode pads and textured gallium-doped ZnO contact layer

Abstract

We demonstrate a GaN-based light-emitting diode (LED) with nonalloyed metal contacts and textured Ga-doped ZnO (GZO) contact layer to serve as the n- and p-type electrode pads, respectively. Compared with the conventional LEDs with flat surface and Cr/Au metal contacts, the nonalloyed Ag/Cr/Au contacts used in the present experimental LEDs play the role of reflector to prevent the emitted light from absorption by the opaque electrode pads. Enhancement of light output power observed from the experimental LEDs is also due to the textured GZO layer that can disperse the angular distribution of photons at the GZO/air interface. With an injection current of 20 mA, the output power of experimental LEDs can be improved markedly by a magnitude of 30% compared with conventional GaN-based LEDs.