| Much interest currently exists in GaN and related materials for applications such as light-emitting devices operating in the amber to ultraviolet range. Solid-state lighting (SSL) using these materials is widely being investigated worldwide, especially due to their high-energy efficiency and its impact on environmental issues. A new approach for solid-state lighting uses phosphor-free white light emitting diodes (LEDs) that consist of blue, green, and red quantum wells (QW), all in a single device. This approach leads to improved color rendering, and directionality, compared to the conventional white LEDs that use yellow phosphor on blue or ultraviolet emitters. Improving the brightness of these phosphor-free white LEDs should enhance and accelerate the development of SSL technology. The main objective of the research reported in this dissertation is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the nature of the multiple quantum wells used in phosphor-free white LEDs. This dissertation starts with an introduction to lighting history, the fundamental concepts of nitride semiconductors, and the evolution of LED technology. Two important challenges in LED technology today are metal-semiconductor contacts and internal piezoelectric fields present in quantum well structures. Thus, the main portion of this dissertation consists of three parts dealing with metal-semiconductor interfaces, single quantum well structures, and multiple quantum well devices. Gold-nickel alloys are widely used as contacts to the p-region of LEDs. We have performed a detailed study for its evolution under standard annealing steps. The atomic arrangement of gold at its interface with GaN gives a clear explanation for the improved ohmic contact performance. We next focus on the nature of InGaN QWs. The dynamic response of the QWs was studied with electron holography and time-resolved cathodoluminescence. Establishing the correlation between energy band structure and the light emission spectra elucidated the nature of light emission. Finally, we studied a more complex device, consisting of two red, one green, and two blue emitting quantum wells. A correlation between structural, electrical and optical measurements allows us to understand the dynamic performance of this device. The collective results of this dissertation lead to an improved understanding of the performance of high-brightness, phosphor-free, white LEDs. |
