Realization of electrically driven AlGaN micropillar array deep-ultraviolet light emitting diodes at 286 nm

We report on the realization of top-down fabricated, electrically driven, deep-ultraviolet (DUV) AlGaN micropillar array light emitting diodes (LEDs) with high output power density. Ordered arrays of micropillars with the inverse-taper profile were formed from an AlGaN epitaxial stack (epistack) using a Ni-masked Cl2 plasma dry etch and KOH-based wet etching. Following deposition of the n-contact, polydimethylsiloxane was spin-coated and etched-back to reveal the tips of the pillars to allow for formation of the p-contact. The DUV LEDs were tested at the wafer-level using a manual probe station to characterize their electrical and optical properties, revealing stable electroluminescence at 286 nm with a narrow 9-nm linewidth. Optical output power was found to be linearly related to current density, with output power densities up to 35 mW/cm2, comparable to the results reported for epitaxially grown DUV nanowire LEDs. Simulations revealed that the inverse-taper profile of the micropillars could lead to large enhancements in light extraction efficiency (ηEXT) of up to 250% when compared to micropillars with vertical sidewalls. The realization of ordered, electrically driven, top-down fabricated micropillar DUV LEDs with competitive output power represents an important step forward in the development of high-efficiency, scalable DUV emitters for a wide range of applications.