Recombination dynamics in ultraviolet light-emitting diodes with Si-doped Al_xGa_1−xN/Al_yGa_1−yN multiple quantum well active regions

Abstract

Ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV LEDs) with Al_xGa_1−xN/Al_yGa_1−yN multiple quantum well (MQW) active regions, doped in the barriers with different Si doping level, show a sharp near band-edge emission (UV luminescence). Besides the near band-edge emission, some samples also show parasitic emissions with a broad peak centered at about 520 nm (green luminescence). The EL intensities of the UV emission line and the green emission line are studied. The UV luminescence peak intensity increases superlinearly with the injection current, following a power law with an exponent of about 2.0. In contrast, the green luminescence peak intensity increases linearly with the injection current, with an exponent of about 1.0. A theoretical model is proposed to explain the relationship between the peak intensities and the injection current. The results obtained from the model are in excellent agreement with the experimental results. The model provides a method to evaluate the dominant recombination process by measuring the exponent of the power-law dependence.