Enabling High-Injection Current Light-Emitting Diodes Prepared on 10-$\mu \text{m}$ -Thick GaN Films Grown by Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy

Abstract

In this paper, we successfully introduced the sputtered AlN/patterned sapphire substrate template into hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) using a two-step growth method. This method simplified the procedure, realized uninterrupted growth, and improved the crystal quality of GaN films. The effects of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) grown on a 10- $\mu \text{m}$ -thick GaN film through HVPE were also compared with those of the LEDs grown on a 2.4- $\mu \text{m}$ -thick GaN film through metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Compared with the LEDs grown on the 2.4- $\mu \text{m}$ -thick GaN film through MOCVD, the LEDs grown on the 10- $\mu \text{m}$ -thick GaN film through HVPE had significantly enhanced light output power (3.24–4.79 mW) and extended saturation current (300–355 mA). These improvements of the LEDs were attributed to the better thermal conductivities and better crystal quality of the 10- $\mu \text{m}$ -thick GaN film through HVPE than those of the 2.4- $\mu \text{m}$ -thick GaN film through MOCVD.