Systematical and Numerical Investigations on InGaN-Based Green Light-Emitting Diodes: Si-Doped Quantum Barriers, Engineered p-Electron Blocking Layer and AlGaN/GaN Structured p-Type Region

Abstract

Here, we numerically prove that the severe polarization-induced electric field in the active region for [0001]-oriented InGaN-based green light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is reduced when heavily Si-doped GaN quantum barriers are adopted. However, the electron injection is accordingly sacrificed for the insufficient confinement capability of the p-type electron blocking layer (p-EBL). Hence, p-EBL structures with/without gradient AlN alloys are discussed to reduce the electron leakage, and the importance of the positive sheet polarization charges at the interface between the last quantum barrier (LQB) and the p-EBL on affecting the blocking barrier height for electrons is especially highlighted. Moreover, we also suggest utilizing specially designed p-AlGaN/p-GaN structure instead of p-GaN structure to serve as the p-type hole supplier, which is able to increase the kinetic energy of holes, thus assisting holes to overcome the energy band barrier height in p-EBL and increasing the hole concentration within the quantum wells.