Multicolor Light-emitting Diodes Research Articles

Color distribution from multicolor LED arrays

We describe a fully-analytical, simple yet sufficiently accurate method to compute the color pattern of the light emitted from multicolor light-emitting diode (LED) assemblies. Spatial distributions for both color variation and correlated color temperature (CCT) as a function of typical parameters of influence, such as LED spectrum, spatial distribution of LED radiation, target distance, LED-to-LED spacing, and number of LEDs, are shown. To illustrate the method, we simulate and analyze the color patterns of linear, ring, and square RGB (red, green, and blue) arrays for Lambertian-type, batwing, and side emitting LEDs. Our theory may be useful to choose the optimal value for both the array configuration and the array-diffuser distance for lighting systems with color mixing devices.

Multicolor Light-Emitting Diodes Based on Semiconductor Nanocrystals Encapsulated in GaN Charge Injection Layers

Numerous technologies including solid-state lighting, displays, and traffic signals can benefit from efficient, color-selectable light sources that are driven electrically. Semiconductor nanocrystals are attractive types of chromophores that combine size-controlled emission colors and high emission efficiencies with excellent photostability and chemical flexibility. Applications of nanocrystals in light-emitting technologies, however, have been significantly hindered by difficulties in achieving direct electrical injection of carriers. Here we report the first successful demonstration of electroluminescence from an all-inorganic, nanocrystal-based architecture in which semiconductor nanocrystals are incorporated into a p-n junction formed from GaN injection layers. The critical step in the fabrication of these nanocrystal/GaN hybrid structures is the use of a novel deposition technique, energetic neutral atom beam lithography/epitaxy, that allows for the encapsulation of nanocrystals within a GaN matrix without adversely affecting either the nanocrystal integrity or its luminescence properties. We demonstrate electroluminescence (injection efficiencies of at least 1%) in both single- and two-color regimes using structures comprising either a single monolayer or a bilayer of nanocrystals.

Multicolor light-emitting diodes with double junction structure

A GaAs:Si-GaAsP heterostructure chip coated with NaYF <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">4</inf> :Yb,Er phosphor has been fabricated to demonstrate multicolor operation. The one-chip light-emitting diodes (LED's) with double junctions showed a centrosymmetrical distribution of green-and red-light intensities. An intermediate hue between green and red was achieved by adjusting the thickness of the phosphor. The luminance of each color was more than 100 fL at a current density of 30 A/cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> and the power efficiency was 2-3 × 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-4</sup> for green. The luminance of the green light was less than 250 fL at 20 A/cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> for a single GaAs:Si LED because of the refraction of infrared light in the GaAsP layer.