Numerical simulation of deep ultraviolet LED, micro-LED, and nano-LED with different emission wavelengths based on FDTD

Abstract

The current low external quantum efficiency (EQE) of deep ultraviolet (DUV) LEDs and micro-LEDs is largely attributed to their low light extraction efficiency (LEE). To address this issue and increase the LEE of DUV devices, various strategies such as reducing size, modifying surface with nanostructures and roughening substrates have been proposed. While some studies have investigated the effects of nanopillar and size on DUV LED, there remains a lack of systematic research on the LEE enhancement mechanism across different wavelengths and sizes of DUV LEDs, micro-LEDs, and nano-LEDs. Therefore, in this study, we employed the numerical simulation method to explore the LEE, near-field intensity distribution, and far-field light intensity distribution from various angles for DUV LEDs, micro-LEDs, and nano-LEDs with wavelengths of 255 nm, 260 nm, and 275 nm, respectively. Our findings reveal a significant improvement in the LEE of DUV nano-LEDs and micro-LEDs, accompanied by reduced divergence angles. Moreover, we observe that longer wavelengths correspond to higher LEE values for devices with similar size. This enhancement in LEE is attributed to factors such as increased sidewall emission and reduced p-GaN absorption. Our investigation indicates that as the size of the DUV device decreases, the sidewall LEE for both transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) modes increases, with TM mode exhibiting a larger enhancement. This enhancement is mainly attributed to the reduction of total reflection within the DUV LEDs and micro-LEDs resulting from size reduction. Despite this, TE mode remains the main contributor to overall LEE. Additionally, our study reveals a reduction in p-GaN absorption of DUV light with decreasing device size, further contributing to the enhancement of LEE in DUV micro-LEDs and nano-LEDs. The increased LEE and reduced divergence angles of small-size DUV micro-LEDs and nano-LEDs not only promote lower power consumption but also enable easier optical system coupling. Consequently, these advancements have significant potential in optical wireless communication, charge management and high-precision lithography.