(Ga,In)N/GaN light emitting diodes with a tunnel junction and a rough n-contact layer grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Tunnel junctions (TJs) are envisaged as potential solutions to improve the electrical injection efficiency of nitride emitters in the visible as well as in the UV range. Indeed TJs would solve the issues related to the poor contact with the top p type nitride layer, replacing it by an n type one. But if metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) is chosen to grow the n side of the TJ on a LED, one faces the problem of a potential re-passivation by hydrogen of the underlying p type layer. We propose a TJ epitaxial process whereby low growth temperatures, high growth rates and the type of carrier gas will minimize hydrogen incorporation in the underlying layers. In this view, n++/p++ GaN TJs with and without an (Ga,In)N intermediate layer are grown by MOCVD at varying temperatures (800°C and 1080°C), using N₂ as a carrier gas under a very high growth rate of 2.5μm/h on top of blue (Ga,In)N/GaN LEDs. The LEDs made under N₂ carrier gas and lower temperature growth conditions are operational without the need for further thermal activation of the Mg acceptors. The light emission intensity from the top surface of the TJ-LEDs is improved compared to the reference LED without TJ: besides the more efficient carrier injection this is also attributable to the larger photon extraction efficiency because of the rough surface of the low temperature grown n-GaN contact layer of the TJ-LEDs.