Characteristics Of Dotlike Green Satellite Emission In Gainn Light Emitting Diodes

An unwanted green satellite emission in blue GaInN light emitting diodes (LEDs) has been investigated under various electrical bias conditions and temperatures. The dot-shaped green satellite emission appears only under electrically biased conditions of the LED (but not under photoluminescence excitation) and contributes directly to a high subthreshold leakage current of the LED. A weak temperature dependency of the green satellite emission intensity is observed indicating that tunneling-assisted radiative recombination involving Mg acceptors is the origin of the green emission. (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3541880]