Skip to main content
Log in

III–V Nitride semiconductors for high-performance blue and green light-emitting devices

  • Blue-Emission Materials
  • Overview
  • Published:
JOM Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Most of the rapid developments in (AlIn)GaN alloy system technology have occurred within the past few years, and the technology is still moving at a fast pace. New performance records for light-emitting diodes and laser diodes are constantly being reported. This article highlights the progression of the development of the (AlIn)GaN alloy system and describes the fabrication and performance of some of the light-emitting devices that have been produced to date.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. J. Black, H. Lockwood, and S. Mayburg, “Recombination Radiation in GaAs,”J. Appl. Phys.,34 (1962), p. 178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. N. Holonyak, Jr., and S.F. Bevacqua, “Coherent (Visible) Light Emission from Ga(As1−xPx) Junctions,”Appl. Phys. Lett., 1 (1962), p. 82.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. R.D. Dupuis, “An Introduction to the Development of the Semiconductor Laser,”IEEE J. Quant. Electr., QE-23 (1987), p. 651.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. M.G. Craford, “LEDs Challenge the Incandescents,”IEEE Circuits and Dev., 8 (1992), p. 25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. R.A. Metzger, “Turning Blue to Green,”Comp. Semicond., 1 (1995), p. 26.

    Google Scholar 

  6. S. Strite and H. Morkoc, “GaN, AlN, and InN: A Review,”J. Vac. Sci. Technol., B10 (1992), p. 1237.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. J.I. Pankove, E.A. Miller, and J.E. Berkeyheiser, “GaN Electroluminescent Diodes,”RCA Rev., 32 (1971), p. 383.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. H. Amano et al., “Metalorganic Vapor Phase Epitaxial Growth of a High Quality GaN Film Using an AlN Buffer Layer,”Appl. Phys. Lett., 48 (1986), p. 353.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. S. Nakamura, “GaN Growth Using GaN Buffer Layer,”Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 30 (1991), p. L1705.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. H. Amano et al., “P-Type Conduction in Mg-Doped GaN Treated with Low-Energy Electron Beam Irradiation (LEEBI),”Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 28 (1989), p. L2112.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. S. Nakamura et al., “Thermal Annealing Effects on P-Type Mg-Doped GaN Films,”Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 31 (1992), p. L139.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. S. Nakamura, T. Mukai, and M. Senoh, “Candela-Class High-Brightness InGaN/AlGaN Double-Heterostructure Blue-Light-Emitting-Diodes,”Appl. Phys. Lett., 64 (1994), p. 1687.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. S. Nakamura et al., “High-Brightness InGaN Blue, Green and Yellow Light-Emitting Diodes with Quantum Well Structures,”Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 34 (1995), p. L797.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. S. Nakamura et al., “Room-Temperature Continuous-Wave Operation of InGaN Multi-Quantum-Well Structure Laser Diodes,”Appl. Phys. Lett., 69 (1996), p. 4056.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. H. Amano et al., “Effects of the Buffer Layer in Metalorganic Vapor Phase Epitaxy of GaN on Sapphire Substrate,”Thin Solid Films, 163 (1988), p. 415.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. S. Nakamura, Y. Harada, and M. Senoh, “Novel Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition System for GaN Growth,”Appl. Phys. Lett., 58 (1991), p. 2021.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. S. Nakamura, M. Senoh, and T. Mukai, “Highly P-Type Mg-Doped GaN Films Grown with GaN Buffer Layers,”Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 30 (1991), p. L1708.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. S. Nakamura and T. Mukai, “High-Quality InGaN Films Grown on GaN Films,”Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 31 (1992), p. L1457.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. F.A. Ponce, “Defects and Interfaces in GaN Epitaxy,”MRS Bulletin, 22 (1997), p. 51.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Z. Liliental-Weber et al., “Structural Defects in Heteroepitaxial and Homoepitaxial GaN,”MRS Symp. Proc., 395 (Pittsburgh, PA: MRS, 1996), p. 351.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. L.T. Romano, J.E. Northrup, and M.A. O'Keefe, “Inversion Domains in GaN Grown on Sapphire,”Appl. Phys. Lett., 69 (1996), p. 2394.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. S.D. Lester et al., “High Dislocation Densities in High Efficiency GaN-Based Light-Emitting Diodes,”Appl. Phys. Lett., 66 (1995), p. 1249.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. S. Nakamura, “Growth of InxGa1-xN Compound Semiconductors and High-Power InGaN/AlGaN Double Heterostructure Violet-Light-Emitting Diodes,”Microelectronics, 25 (1994), p. 651.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. S. Strite and H. Morkoç, “GaN, AlN, and InN: A Review,”J. Vac. Sci. Technol., B10 (1992), p. 1237.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. S. Nakamura, T. Mukai, and M. Senoh, “Si-and Ge-Doped GaN Films Grown with GaN Buffer Layers,”Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 31 (1992), p. 2883.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. W. Götz et al., “Shallow Dopants and the Role of Hydrogen in Epitaxial Layers of Gallium Nitride,”Electrochem. Soc. Proc., 96-11 (1996), p. 87.

    Google Scholar 

  27. S. Nakamura et al., “Hole Compensation Mechanism of p-type GaN Films,”Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 31 (1992), p. 1258.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. W. Götz et al., “Local Vibrational Modes of the Mg-H Acceptor Complex in GaN,”Appl. Phys. Lett., 69 (1996), p. 3725.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. J. Chevallier, B. Clerjaud, and B. Pajot, “Neutralization of Defects and Dopants in III–V Semiconductors,”Hydrogen in Semiconductors, ed. J.I. Pankove and N.M. Johnson (San Diego, CA: Academic Press, 1991), pp. 447–510.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  30. W. Götz et al., “Shallow and Deep Level Defects in GaN,”Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc., 395 (Pittsburgh, PA: MRS, 1996), p. 443.

    Google Scholar 

  31. J.C. Zolper and R.J. Shul, “Implantation and Dry Etching of Group III-Nitride Semiconductors,”MRS Bulletin, 2 (1997), p. 36.

    Google Scholar 

  32. H.P. Gillis et al., “Highly Anisotropic, Ultra-Smooth Patterning of GaN/SiC by Low Energy Electron Enhanced Etching in DC Plasma,”J. Electron. Mat., 26 (1997), p. 301.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. S. Nakamura, “Characteristics of Room Temperature-cw Operated InGaN Multi-Quantum-Well-Structure Laser Diode,”MRS Internet J. Nitride Semicond. Res., 2 (5) (1997).

  34. T. Kim, M.C. Yoo, and T. Kim, “Cr/Ni/Au Ohmic Contacts to the Moderately Doped P-and N-GaN,”MRS. Symp. Proc., 449 (Pittsburgh, PA: MRS, 1997), p. 1061.

    Google Scholar 

  35. T. Mori et al., “Schottky Barrier and Contact Resistance on p-type GaN,”Appl. Phys. Lett., 69 (1996), p. 3537.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. W. Götz et al., “Activation Energies of Si Donors in GaN,”Appl. Phys. Lett., 68 (1996), p. 3144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. M. Hirsch, K. Duxstad, and E.E. Haller, “Evolution of Ti Schottky Barrier Heights on n-type GaN with Annealing,”MRS. Symp. Proc., 449 (Pittsburgh, PA: MRS, 1996), p. 1115, and references therein.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Z. Fan et al., “Very Low Resistance Multilayer Ohmic Contact to n-GaN,”Appl. Phys. Lett. 68 p. 1672, and references therein.

  39. D.B. Ingerly et al., “Ohmic Contacts to n-GaN Using PtIn2,”Appl. Phys. Lett., 70 (1997), p. 108.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. J.M. Woodall et al., “Ohmic Contacts to n-GaAs Using Graded Bandgap Layers to Ga1−xInxAs Grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy,”J. Vac. Sci. Technol., 19 (1981), p. 626.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. S. Nakamura, T. Mukai, and M. Senoh, “High-Power GaN p-n Junction Blue-Light-Emitting Diodes,”Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 30 (1991), p. L1998.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. S. Nakamura, M. Senoh, and T. Mukai, “P-GaN/N-InGaN/N-GaN Double-Heterostructure Blue-Light-Emitting Diodes,”Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 32 (1993), p. L8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. P. Kaiser, “The Joy of Visual Perception,” http://www.yorku.ca/research/vision/eye/thejoy.htm, and related WWW sites.

  44. S. Nakamura et al., “High-power InGaN Single-Quantum Well-Structure Blue and Violet Light-Emitting Diodes,”Appl. Phys. Lett., 67 (1995), p. 1868.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. S. Nakamura et al., “Superbright Green InGaN Single-Quantum-Well-Structure Light-Emitting Diodes,”Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 34 (1995), p. L1332.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Internal report, Hewlett-Packard Company, 1997.

  47. F.A. Kish and R.M. Fletcher, “AlInGaP Light-Emitting Diodes,”Semiconductors and Semimetals, 48, in press.

  48. Cook et al., “High Efficiency 650 nm Aluminum Gallium Arsenide Light Emitting Diodes,”Proceedings of the 14th International Symposium on GaAs and Related Compounds (Bristol: Institute of Physics, 1987), p 777.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Additional information

Editor's Note: A hypertext-enhanced version of this article can be found at http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/9709/Steigerwald-9709.html.

Daniel A. Steigerwald earned his Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering and materials science at Carnegie Mellon University in 1985. He is currently a R&D engineer at Hewlett-Packard Company.

Serge L. Rudaz earned his Ph.D. in physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1983. He is currently a R&D engineer at Hewlett-Packard Company.

Heng Liu earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from North Carolina State University in 1991. He is currently a R&D engineer at Hewlett-Packard Company.

R. Scott Kern earned his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at North Carolina State University in 1996. He is currently a hardware design engineer at Hewlett-Packard Company.

Werner Götz earned his Ph.D. in physics at the University of Erlangen, Germany, in 1993. He is currently a R&D engineer at Hewlett-Packard Company.

Robert Fletcher earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at Cornell University in 1985. He is currently a R&D section manager at Hewlett-Packard Company.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Steigerwald, D., Rudaz, S., Liu, H. et al. III–V Nitride semiconductors for high-performance blue and green light-emitting devices. JOM 49, 18–23 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02914345

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02914345

Keywords

Navigation