Modeling the spectral shape of InGaAlP-based red light-emitting diodes

Abstract

We have developed a spectral model for describing the shape of the emission spectrum of InGaAlP-based red light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with quantum-well structure. The model is based on Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution with junction temperature Tj and an experimental two-dimensional joint density of states (DOS). We model the DOS with a sum of two exponentially broadened step functions describing the two lowest sub-bands in semiconductor quantum well. The relative locations ΔE1 = 0 meV and ΔE2 = 112.7 meV above the band gap energy Eg = 1.983 eV and the ratio 2.13 of the step heights were fixed using an experimental DOS extracted from a LED spectrum measured at known Tj and driving current I. The model can then be fitted to other spectra of other LED samples at varied Tj and I by varying the fitting parameters Eg, Tj, and the broadening of the sub-band edges. The model was tested for three LED samples over I = 200–370 mA and Tj = 303–398 K. Junction temperatures obtained by modeling were compared with calibrated Tj obtained by the forward voltage method. The mean absolute difference was about 2.9 K (0.8%) over the whole region studied and the maximum difference was 8.5 K. The thermal coefficient measured for Eg was −0.509 meV K−1. For the first and second sub-band edges, the thermal broadening coefficients were 18 μeV K−1 and 37 μeV K−1, respectively.