Enhanced Optical Power of GaN-Based Light-Emitting Diode with Nanopatterned p-GaN by Simple Light Coupling Mask Lithography

Abstract

We report the enhancement of the optical output power of GaN-based blue light-emitting diode (LED) with two-dimensionally nanopatterned p-GaN fabricated using a novel light coupling mask with soft-lithographically defined light aperture arrays. This light coupling mask provided a simple and reproducible process to generate patterns with a regular hole size of 550nm on p-GaN. The LED with nanopatterned p-GaN showed light output power improved by 11.2% at an input current of 20mA compared with the LED with flat p-GaN, even with slightly degraded electrical properties owing to the formation of etching-induced defects in the p-GaN. (C) 2012 The Japan Society of Applied Physics