Enhancing the light output power of deep ultraviolet light-emitting diodes with a ultra-thin p-type layer through etching non-ohmic contact p-GaN region

H Hualiang Qiu (State Key Laboratory of Quantum Optics Technologies and Devices, Shanxi University 1 , Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006,) L Linhao Wang (Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, and Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China 1 , Hefei, Anhui 230026,) Y Yanan Guo (State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Sun Yat-sen University) K Kai Guo (State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, and Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy) X Xiaona Zhang X Xiaolong Jia (Hydrogen Energy Industry Institute of Jilin Province) C Congmin Shen (Advanced Ultraviolet Optoelectronics Co. Ltd 6 , Changzhi, Shanxi 046000,) T Tong Zhang X Xue-Jiao Sun (Research and Development Center for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 4 , Beijing 100083,) X Xuecheng Wei (Research and Development Center for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 3 , Beijing 100083,) S Shen Wang J Junxi Wang J Jinmin Li (Research and Development Center for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 4 , Beijing 100083,) Y Yonghui Zhang Z Zi-Hui Zhang (Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, College of Chemistry) N Naixin Liu (Semiconductor Lighting Technology Research and Development Center, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 3 , Beijing 100083,) J Jianchang Yan (Research and Development Center for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100083,)

Abstract

In this study, we employ the etching non-ohmic contact p-type region to enhance the performance of deep ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (DUV-LEDs) with ultra-thin (62 nm) p-type layers. Experimental results demonstrate that a shallow etching depth (12 nm) can enhance the light output power (LOP) of DUV-LEDs by 10.9%. However, when the etching depth is increased slightly to 18 nm, the LOP of DUV-LEDs decreases by 42%. Moreover, the forward leakage current of the device is severely deteriorated, while the reverse leakage current remains unaffected. This is because ultra-thin p-type layers fail to prevent the etch-inducing defects from propagating into the active region, thereby inducing a defect-related parallel diode and reducing the internal quantum efficiency. Conversely, a shallower etching depth can enhance light extraction efficiency and mitigate etch-inducing defects in the DUV-LEDs with ultra-thin p-type layers. These findings indicate that the p-type layer etching process for improving the performance of advanced DUV-LEDs with an ultra-thin p-type layer must be carefully optimized.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 138, Issue 14
Published October 14, 2025
ISSN 0021-8979
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

Journal of Applied Physics

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0021-8979 Physical Sciences

Authors (17)

H

Hualiang Qiu

State Key Laboratory of Quantum Optics Technologies and Devices, Shanxi University 1 , Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006,

L

Linhao Wang

Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, and Hefei National Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China 1 , Hefei, Anhui 230026,

Y

Yanan Guo

State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Sun Yat-sen University

K

Kai Guo

State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, and Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy

X

Xiaona Zhang

X

Xiaolong Jia

Hydrogen Energy Industry Institute of Jilin Province

C

Congmin Shen

Advanced Ultraviolet Optoelectronics Co. Ltd 6 , Changzhi, Shanxi 046000,

T

Tong Zhang

X

Xue-Jiao Sun

Research and Development Center for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 4 , Beijing 100083,

X

Xuecheng Wei

Research and Development Center for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 3 , Beijing 100083,

S

Shen Wang

J

Junxi Wang

J

Jinmin Li

Research and Development Center for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 4 , Beijing 100083,

Y

Yonghui Zhang

Z

Zi-Hui Zhang

Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Research Center for Analytical Sciences, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, Haihe Laboratory of Sustainable Chemical Transformations, College of Chemistry

N

Naixin Liu

Semiconductor Lighting Technology Research and Development Center, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 3 , Beijing 100083,

J

Jianchang Yan

Research and Development Center for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences 1 , Beijing 100083,