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Journal ArticleDOI

Efficiency droop in light‐emitting diodes: Challenges and countermeasures

01 May 2013-Laser & Photonics Reviews (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd)-Vol. 7, Iss: 3, pp 408-421
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a theoretical model for the carrier leakage caused by the asymmetry of the pn junction, specifically the disparity between electron and hole concentrations and mobilities.
Abstract: Efficiency droop, i.e. the loss of efficiency at high operating current, afflicts nitride-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The droop phenomenon is currently the subject of intense research, as it retards the advancement of solid-state lighting which is just starting to supplant fluorescent as well as incandescent lighting. Although the technical community does not yet have consented to a single cause of droop, this article provides a summary of the present state of droop research, reviews currently discussed droop mechanisms, and presents a recently developed theoretical model for the efficiency droop. In the theoretical model, carrier leakage out of the active region caused by the asymmetry of the pn junction, specifically the disparity between electron and hole concentrations and mobilities, is discussed in detail. The model is in agreement with the droop's key behaviors not only for GaInN LEDs but also for AlGaInP LEDs.
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jan 1977-Nature
TL;DR: Bergh and P.J.Dean as discussed by the authors proposed a light-emitting diode (LEDD) for light-aware Diodes, which was shown to have promising performance.
Abstract: Light-Emitting Diodes. (Monographs in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.) By A. A. Bergh and P. J. Dean. Pp. viii+591. (Clarendon: Oxford; Oxford University: London, 1976.) £22.

1,560 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The history of white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can be found in this paper, where the authors review the history of the conception, improvement, and commercialization of the white LED.
Abstract: About twenty years ago, in the autumn of 1996, the first white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were offered for sale. These then-new devices ushered in a new era in lighting by displacing lower-efficiency conventional light sources including Edison's venerable incandescent lamp as well as the Hg-discharge-based fluorescent lamp. We review the history of the conception, improvement, and commercialization of the white LED. Early models of white LEDs already exceeded the efficiency of low-wattage incandescent lamps, and extraordinary progress has been made during the last 20 years. The review also includes a discussion of advances in blue LED chips, device architecture, light extraction, and phosphors. Finally, we offer a brief outlook on opportunities provided by smart LED technology.

507 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors compared the performance of LEDs and blue laser diode (LD) for future solid-state lighting (SSL) systems and compared their current state-of-the-art input-power-density-dependent power-conversion efficiencies and potential improvements both in their peak powerconversion efficiency and in the input power densities at which those efficiencies peak.
Abstract: Solid-state lighting (SSL) is now the most efficient source of high color quality white light ever created. Nevertheless, the blue InGaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that are the light engine of SSL still have significant performance limitations. Foremost among these is the decrease in efficiency at high input current densities widely known as “efficiency droop.” Efficiency droop limits input power densities, contrary to the desire to produce more photons per unit LED chip area and to make SSL more affordable. Pending a solution to efficiency droop, an alternative device could be a blue laser diode (LD). LDs, operated in stimulated emission, can have high efficiencies at much higher input power densities than LEDs can. In this article, LEDs and LDs for future SSL are explored by comparing: their current state-of-the-art input-power-density-dependent power-conversion efficiencies; potential improvements both in their peak power-conversion efficiencies and in the input power densities at which those efficiencies peak; and their economics for practical SSL.

434 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a review of the state-of-the-art LED packaging and application technologies, focusing on heat generation in chips, heat flow in packages and application products, fluid flow in phosphor coating process, etc.

350 citations


Cites background from "Efficiency droop in light‐emitting ..."

  • ...[30] At low carrier concentrations, the Auger recombination is neglected for practical reasons....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the current status of solid-state lighting relative to its ultimate potential to be "smart" and "ultra-efficient" is reviewed, and the long-term ultimate route to both might well be color-mixed RYGB lasers.
Abstract: Solid-state lighting has made tremendous progress this past decade, with the potential to make much more progress over the coming decade. In this article, the current status of solid-state lighting relative to its ultimate potential to be “smart” and ultra-efficient is reviewed. Smart, ultra-efficient solid-state lighting would enable both very high “effective” efficiencies and potentially large increases in human performance. To achieve ultra-efficiency, phosphors must give way to multi-color semiconductor electroluminescence: some of the technological challenges associated with such electroluminescence at the semiconductor level are reviewed. To achieve smartness, additional characteristics such as control of light flux and spectra in time and space will be important: some of the technological challenges associated with achieving these characteristics at the lamp level are also reviewed. It is important to emphasise that smart and ultra-efficient are not either/or, and few compromises need to be made between them. The ultimate route to ultra-efficiency brings with it the potential for smartness, the ultimate route to smartness brings with it the potential for ultra-efficiency, and the long-term ultimate route to both might well be color-mixed RYGB lasers.

293 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI

14,205 citations


"Efficiency droop in light‐emitting ..." refers background in this paper

  • ...When this condition is broken, high-level injection occurs, and both drift and diffusion currents in the p-type region must be considered [92]....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
27 May 2005-Science
TL;DR: The high efficiency of solid-state sources already provides energy savings and environmental benefits in a number of applications, but these sources also offer controllability of their spectral power distribution, spatial distribution, color temperature, temporal modulation, and polarization properties.
Abstract: More than a century after the introduction of incandescent lighting and half a century after the introduction of fluorescent lighting, solid-state light sources are revolutionizing an increasing number of applications. Whereas the efficiency of conventional incandescent and fluorescent lights is limited by fundamental factors that cannot be overcome, the efficiency of solid-state sources is limited only by human creativity and imagination. The high efficiency of solid-state sources already provides energy savings and environmental benefits in a number of applications. However, solid-state sources also offer controllability of their spectral power distribution, spatial distribution, color temperature, temporal modulation, and polarization properties. Such ‘‘smart’’ light sources can adjust to specific environments and requirements, a property that could result in tremendous benefits in lighting, automobiles, transportation, communication, imaging, agriculture, and medicine.

3,164 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the status and future outlook of III-V compound semiconductor visible-spectrum light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are presented and light extraction techniques are reviewed.
Abstract: Status and future outlook of III-V compound semiconductor visible-spectrum light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are presented. Light extraction techniques are reviewed and extraction efficiencies are quantified in the 60%+ (AlGaInP) and ~80% (InGaN) regimes for state-of-the-art devices. The phosphor-based white LED concept is reviewed and recent performance discussed, showing that high-power white LEDs now approach the 100-lm/W regime. Devices employing multiple phosphors for "warm" white color temperatures (~3000-4000 K) and high color rendering (CRI>80), which provide properties critical for many illumination applications, are discussed. Recent developments in chip design, packaging, and high current performance lead to very high luminance devices (~50 Mcd/m2 white at 1 A forward current in 1times1 mm2 chip) that are suitable for application to automotive forward lighting. A prognosis for future LED performance levels is considered given further improvements in internal quantum efficiency, which to date lag achievements in light extraction efficiency for InGaN LEDs

1,882 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jan 1977-Nature
TL;DR: Bergh and P.J.Dean as discussed by the authors proposed a light-emitting diode (LEDD) for light-aware Diodes, which was shown to have promising performance.
Abstract: Light-Emitting Diodes. (Monographs in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.) By A. A. Bergh and P. J. Dean. Pp. viii+591. (Clarendon: Oxford; Oxford University: London, 1976.) £22.

1,560 citations


"Efficiency droop in light‐emitting ..." refers background or methods or result in this paper

  • ...These three characteristics are in marked contrast to the GaInN/GaN material system [91]....

    [...]

  • ...Given that, in a GaInN LED, the thickness of p-type GaN cladding layer typically is smaller than the electron minority carrier diffusion length, the electron diffusion current leaking out of the active region of a heterojunction LED can be expressed as [91]...

    [...]

  • ...This framework is indeed fulfilled in the AlGaInP and the AlGaInN material system [91]....

    [...]

  • ...This agrees with expectations that SRH recombination is minimized at low temperatures [91, 94]....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the efficiency droop in GaInN∕GaN multiple-quantum well (MQW) light-emitting diodes was investigated and it was shown that the droop is not related to MQW efficiency but rather to the recombination of carriers outside the MqW region.
Abstract: The efficiency droop in GaInN∕GaN multiple-quantum well (MQW) light-emitting diodes is investigated. Measurements show that the efficiency droop, occurring under high injection conditions, is unrelated to junction temperature. Furthermore, the photoluminescence output as a function of excitation power shows no droop, indicating that the droop is not related to MQW efficiency but rather to the recombination of carriers outside the MQW region. Simulations show that polarization fields in the MQW and electron blocking layer enable the escape of electrons from the MQW region and thus are the physical origin of the droop. It is shown that through the use of proper quaternary AlGaInN compositions, polarization effects are reduced, thereby minimizing droop and improving efficiency.

1,252 citations