Advantages of blue LEDs with graded-composition AlGaN/GaN superlattice EBL

InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with graded-composition AlGaN/GaN superlattice (SL) electron blocking layer (EBL) were designed and grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The simulation results demonstrated that the LED with a graded-composition AlGaN/GaN SL EBL have superior hole injection efficiency and lower electron leakage over the LED with a conventional AlGaN EBL or normal AlGaN/GaN SL EBL. Therefore, the efficiency droop can be alleviated to be ~20%from maximum at an injection current of 15-120 mA, which is smaller than that for conventional AlGaN EBL (30%). The corresponding experimental results also confirm that the use of a graded-composition AlGaN/GaN SL EBL can markedly enhance the light output power by 60%.