High-efficiency light-emitting diode with air voids embedded in lateral epitaxially overgrown GaN using a metal mask.

We report high-efficiency blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with air voids embedded in GaN. The air void structures were created by the lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO) of GaN using a tungsten mask. The optical output power was increased by 60% at an injection current of 20 mA compared with that of conventional LEDs without air voids. The enhancement is attributed to improved internal quantum efficiency because the air voids reduce the threading dislocation and strain in the LEO GaN epilayer. A ray-tracing simulation revealed that the path length of light escaping from the LED with air voids is much shorter because the air voids efficiently change the light path toward the top direction to improve the light extraction of the LED. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America