Morphological effect of patterned sapphire substrate on efficiency of white-light phosphor LED package

Abstract

Six-facets patterned sapphire substrates (A-PSS) are manufactured by wet-etching regular semispherical patterned sapphire substrates (r-PSS). The possible crystallographic planes of the etched planes on the semi-sphere pattern is the family of (1102) plane. Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) GaN epitaxial LED structure was grown on the c-plane sapphire wafer, r-PSS, and A-PSS, which were further processed as horizontal LED chips. Compared to LEDs on the flat c-plane sapphire, the light output power of LEDs on r-PSS and A-PSS is enhanced by 71% and 67%, respectively. The output power of the bare LEDs decreases after the white-light LED package. Remarkably, the output power of the white-light packaged LED on the A-PSS is larger than the white-light packaged LED on the r-PSS. The Monte Carlo ray tracing simulation shows that, before and after silicone-lens encapsulating, the LEDs on r-PSS and A-PSS emit more on the top surface. However, the sidewall emission power ratio of the LED on r-PSS decreases by 3.44% after silicone encapsulating. On the other hand, the sidewall emission power ratio of the LED on A-PSS increases by 1.06% after silicone encapsulating. Note that the emission light of LEDs out of the top surface travels a longer path in the silicone lens than the emission light out of the sidewalls. Hence, more re-extracted light out of the sidewall of LED on A-PSS would be the reason for the LED on A-PSS having a less package loss and the white-light package efficiency than the LED on r-PSS. In conclusion, the light radiation distribution pattern defined by the pattern morphology of A-PSS is the key for the better white-light package efficiency of the LED on A-PSS than that of the LED on r-PSS. • The patterned sapphire substrate morphology can alter the propagation direction of the light emission. • Monte Carlo ray tracing simulation shows the emission power of top surface and sidewall vary before and after lens package. • The emission light of LEDs out of the top surface travels a longer path in the phosphor layer than the sidewalls. • The light radiation distribution defined by the pattern morphology is the key for white-light package efficiency of LED.