High Light Extraction Efficiency AlGaInP LEDs With Proton Implanted Current Blocking Layer

Improving light extraction efficiency is the key issue for light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Nowadays, a vertical structure design dominates LEDs. However, the light from the active region just below the p-electrode is severely blocked by the metal contact. In this letter, we use proton implantation with a depth all the way to the active region to turn the part beneath the p-pad insulating, which constitutes the most-effective-ever current blocking method. Earlier particle implantation studies never reached the device active region. Our experimental results show that the H
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-implanted LEDs improve the light output power by 75% compared with non-implanted counterparts and the light intensity increases by 64.48%. By virtue of indium tin oxide current spreading film, the increase in working voltage is negligible. Analyzing the reverse leakage current, the side effect associated with the implantation is limited to an acceptable range. Numerical simulation is performed to support the experiment. Our results represent a new and simple method for solving the light blocking problem in vertical LEDs, without introducing the seemingly existing severe implantation damage to the device structure.