Electronic and optical properties of InGaN quantum dot based light emitters for solid state lighting

Abstract

In this paper, we have made a systematic study of the electronic and optical properties of InGaN based quantum dot light emitters. The valence force field model and 6×6k⋅p method have been applied to study the band structures in InGaN or InN quantum dot devices. Piezoelectric and spontaneous polarization effects are included. A comparison with InGaN quantum wells shows that InGaN quantum dots can provide better electron-hole overlap and reduce radiative lifetime. We also find that variation in dot sizes can lead to emission spectrum that can cover the whole visible light range. For high carrier density injection conditions, a self-consistent method for solving quantum dot devices is applied for better estimation of device performance. Consequences of variations in dot sizes, shapes, and composition have been studied in this paper. The results suggest that InGaN quantum dots would have superior performance in white light emitters.