Enhanced output efficiency of GaN-based light-emitting diodes by silver nanowires-induced localized surface plasmon

The authors investigated the localized surface plasmon (LSP)-enhanced light output efficiency of GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) fabricated with indium-tin-oxide (ITO)/silver nanowire (AgNWs) transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs). The ITO/AgNWs TCE yielded optical transmittance of 91.7% at a wavelength of 450 nm, a sheet resistance of 16.4 Ω/sq, and a specific contact resistance of 1.3 × 10 −3 Ωcm 2 . Notably, the LEDs fabricated with ITO/AgNWs TCE showed 51.5% greater output power than the reference LEDs fabricated with ITO TCE. This could be due to the combined effects of higher optical transparency and, more importantly, vertical out-coupling of the localized surface plasmon (LSP) resonance with the trapped wave-guided mode of light.