Surface Plasmon Layer for Semiconductor Light Emitting Device Efficiency
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current nitride semiconductor light emitting devices face limitations in enhancing internal quantum efficiency for high-current, high-output applications, primarily due to challenges in enhancing emission efficiency by carriers confined in the energy band gap between quantum barrier and quantum well layers.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor light emitting device is designed with a surface plasmon layer incorporating metallic particles and an insulating material, positioned between the active layer and semiconductor layers, to utilize surface plasmon resonance and enhance emission efficiency, where the metallic particles are enclosed by the insulating material to prevent diffusion and improve electrical characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional nitride semiconductor structures are used to enhance emission efficiency through carrier confinement in quantum well layers, then internal quantum efficiency is improved, but emission efficiency remains insufficient for high-current, high-output applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a surface plasmon layer as an intermediary component between the active layer and semiconductor layers. This layer contains metallic particles that generate surface plasmons to enhance light emission efficiency without interfering with the carrier confinement function of the quantum well structure, thereby resolving the contradiction between emission efficiency and internal quantum efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The surface plasmon layer is constructed as a composite material system combining metallic particles (such as silver, gold, or aluminum) with insulating materials (such as silicon oxide or silicon nitride). This composite structure enables both optical enhancement through surface plasmon resonance and electrical isolation to prevent carrier leakage, simultaneously improving emission efficiency while maintaining internal quantum efficiency
2Productivity
If metallic particles are placed close to the active layer to induce surface plasmon resonance, then emission efficiency is enhanced, but metallic particle diffusion into semiconductor layers causes defects and current leakage
Solution Approach 1:
An insulating material layer is introduced as an intermediary between the metallic particles and the semiconductor layers. This insulating barrier prevents metallic particle diffusion into the semiconductor, eliminating defects and current leakage while maintaining the surface plasmon resonance effect for enhanced emission efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating material forms a thin film encapsulation around the metallic particles, creating a protective shell that isolates the metallic particles from the semiconductor layers. This thin film structure maintains close proximity for plasmon coupling while preventing harmful interactions, resolving the contradiction between emission enhancement and device reliability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The implementation of the surface plasmon layer significantly enhances emission efficiency while minimizing defects and current leakage, effectively addressing the limitations of existing nitride semiconductor devices in high-current applications.
Implementation Method 1
Resonance may be caused by surface plasmons of the metallic particles and light emitted from the active layer
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a semiconductor light emitting device. The semiconductor light emitting device includes an n-type semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, and an active layer disposed therebetween, and a surface plasmon layer disposed between the active layer and at least one of the n-type and p-type semiconductor layers, including metallic particles and an insulating material, and including a conductive via for electrical connection between the active layer and the at least one of the n-type and p-type semiconductor layers, wherein the metallic particles are enclosed by the insulating material to be insulated from the at least one of the n-type and p-type semiconductor layers. The semiconductor light emitting device can achieve enhanced emission efficiency by using surface plasmon resonance. Using the semiconductor light emitting device, the diffusion of a metal employed for surface plasmon resonance into the active layer can be minimized.