A monolithic high-resolution (individual pixel size 300times300 mum2) active matrix (AM) programmed 8times8 micro-LED array was fabricated using flip-chip technology. The display was composed of an AM panel and a LED microarray. The AM panel included driving circuits composed of p-type MOS transistors for each pixel. The n-electrodes of the LED pixels in the microarray were connected together, and the p-electrodes were connected to individual outputs of the driving circuits on the AM panel. Using flip-chip technology, the LED microarray was then flipped onto the AM panel to create a microdisplay.

Monolithic LED Microdisplay on Active Matrix Substrate Using Flip-Chip Technology

A nitride-based high-power flip-chip (FC) light-emitting diode (LED) with a double-side patterned sapphire substrate (PSS) was proposed and realized. Under 350-mA current injection, it was found that forward voltages were 3.24, 3.26, and 3.25 V for the conventional FC LED, FC LED prepared on PSS, and FC LED with double-side PSS, respectively. It was found that the 350-mA LED output powers were 79.3, 98.1, and 121.5 mW for the conventional FC LED, FC LED prepared on PSS, and FC LED with double-side PSS, respectively. In other words, we can enhance the electroluminescence intensity by 53% without increasing operation voltage of the fabricated LED

Nitride-Based High-Power Flip-Chip LED With Double-Side Patterned Sapphire Substrate

We demonstrate two types of GaN-based flip-chip light-emitting diodes (FCLEDs) with highly reflective Ag/TiW and indium-tin oxide (ITO)/distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) p-type Ohmic contacts. We show that a direct Ohmic contact to p-GaN layer using pure Ag is obtained when annealed at 600°C in N2 ambient. A TiW diffusion barrier layer covered onto Ag is used to suppress the agglomeration of Ag and thus maintain high reflectance of Ag during high temperature annealing process. We develop a strip-shaped SiO2 current blocking layer beneath the ITO/DBR to alleviate current crowding occurring in FCLED with ITO/DBR. Owing to negligibly small spreading resistance of Ag, however, our combined numerical and experimental results show that the FCLED with Ag/TiW has a more favorable current spreading uniformity in comparison to the FCLED with ITO/DBR. As a result, the light output power of FCLED with Ag/TiW is 7.5% higher than that of FCLED with ITO/DBR at 350 mA. The maximum output power of the FCLED with Ag/TiW obtained at 305.6 A/cm2 is 29.3% larger than that of the FCLED with ITO/DBR obtained at 278.9 A/cm2. The improvement appears to be due to the enhanced current spreading and higher optical reflectance provided by the Ag/TiW.

Numerical and experimental investigation of GaN-based flip-chip light-emitting diodes with highly reflective Ag/TiW and ITO/DBR Ohmic contacts.

In this letter, a GaN/sapphire light-emitting diode (LED) structure was designed with improved electrostatic discharge (ESD) performance through the use of a shunt GaN ESD diode connected in inverse-parallel to the GaN LED. Thus, electrostatic charge can be discharged from the GaN LED through the shunt diode. We found that the ESD withstanding capability of GaN/sapphire LEDs incorporating this ESD-protection feature could be increased from several hundreds up to 3500 V in the human body model. Furthermore, flip-chip (FC) technology was also used to produce ESD-protected LEDs to further improve light output power and reliability. At a 20-mA current injection, the output power of the FC LEDs showed an improvement of around 60%. After a 1200-h aging test, the luminous intensities of the FC LEDs featuring an internal ESD-protection diode decreased by 4%. This decay percentage was far less than those of non-FC LEDs

Improved Reliability and ESD Characteristics of Flip-Chip GaN-Based LEDs With Internal Inverse-Parallel Protection Diodes

We demonstrate GaN-based double-layer electrode flip-chip light-emitting diodes (DLE-FCLED) with highly reflective indium-tin oxide (ITO)/distributed bragg reflector (DBR) p-type contact and via hole-based n-type contacts. Transparent thin ITO in combination with TiO2/SiO2 DBR is used for reflective p-type ohmic contact, resulting in a significant reduction in absorption of light by opaque metal electrodes. The finely distributed via hole-based n-type contacts are formed on the n-GaN layer by etching via holes through p-GaN and multiple quantum well (MQW) active layer, leading to reduced lateral current spreading length, and hence alleviated current crowding effect. The forward voltage of the DLE-FCLED is 0.31 V lower than that of the top-emitting LED at 90 mA. The light output power of DLE-FCLED is 15.7% and 80.8% higher than that of top-emitting LED at 90 mA and 300 mA, respectively. Compared to top- emitting LED, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of DLE-FCLED is enhanced by 15.4% and 132% at 90 mA and 300 mA, respectively. The maximum light output power of the DLE-FCLED obtained at 195.6 A/cm2 is 1.33 times larger than that of the top-emitting LED obtained at 93 A/cm2.

GaN-based flip-chip LEDs with highly reflective ITO/DBR p-type and via hole-based n-type contacts for enhanced current spreading and light extraction

Nitride-based flip-chip light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with various transparent ohmic contacts and reflective mirrors were fabricated. At 470 nm, it was found that Ni could provide 92% transmittance while Ag could provide 92.4% reflectively. It was also found that the 20-mA forward voltages measured from LEDs with Ni+Ag, Ni+Al, and Ni+Pt were 3.15, 3.29, and 3.18 V while the output powers were 16, 13.3, and 11.6 mW, respectively. Furthermore, it was found that lifetimes of the fabricated flip-chip LEDs were good

J.M. Tsai

Papers

Nitride-based flip-chip LEDs with transparent Ohmic contacts and reflective mirrors