# US 2019/0172971 A1 · Group iii nitride based led structures including multiple quantum wells with barrier-well unit interface layers

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- Number: US 2019/0172971 A1
- Document ID: US20190172971A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/267,636
- Filed: 2019-02-05
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-11-18
- Assignees: Cree, Inc.
- Applicants: Cree, Inc.
- Inventors: Thomas A. Kuhr; Robert David Schmidt; Daniel Carleton Driscoll; Brian T. Collins
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190172971A1

## CPC

- H10H 20/811: having quantum effect structures or superlattices, e.g. tunnel junctions
- H10H 20/81: Bodies
- H10H 20/812: within the light-emitting regions, e.g. having quantum confinement structures
- H10H 20/824: comprising only Group III-V materials, e.g. GaP
- H10H 20/825: containing nitrogen, e.g. GaN
- H10H: INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS

## Abstract

Group III nitride based light emitting diode (LED) structures include multiple quantum wells with barrier-well units that include III nitride interface layers. Each interface layer may have a thickness of no greater than about 30% of an adjacent well layer, and a comparatively low concentration of indium or aluminum. One or more interface layers may be present in a barrier-well unit. Multiple barrier-well units having different properties may be provided in a single active region.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A light emitting diode comprising:
an active region comprising a plurality of sequentially arranged barrier-well units;
wherein the plurality of sequentially arranged barrier-well units comprises at least one barrier-well unit of a first type, and each barrier-well unit of the first type comprises a Group III nitride barrier layer comprising a first bandgap, a Group III nitride well layer comprising a second bandgap, a first Group III nitride interface layer comprising a third bandgap, and a second Group III nitride interface layer comprising a fourth bandgap; and
wherein the third bandgap is greater than the second bandgap, the first bandgap is greater than the third bandgap, and the fourth bandgap is greater than the first bandgap.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The light emitting diode of claim 1, comprising at least one of the following features (a) and (b):
(a) the first Group III nitride interface layer comprises a thickness of no greater than 10 Å; and
(b) the second Group III nitride interface layer comprises a thickness of no greater than 10 Å.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The light emitting diode of claim 1, comprising at least one of the following features (a) and (b):
(a) the first Group III nitride interface layer comprises a thickness of no greater than 4 Å; and
(b) the second Group III nitride interface layer comprises a thickness of no greater than 4 Å.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The light emitting diode of claim 1, comprising at least one of the following features (a) and (b):
(a) the first Group III nitride interface layer comprises a thickness of no greater than about 30% of a thickness of the Group III nitride well layer; and
(b) the second Group III nitride interface layer comprises a thickness of no greater than about 30% of a thickness of the Group III nitride well layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein in the at least one barrier-well unit of the first type, the first Group III nitride interface layer is arranged between and in contact with the Group III nitride barrier layer and the Group III nitride well layer, and the second Group III nitride interface layer is arranged in contact with the Group III nitride well layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The light emitting diode of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sequentially arranged barrier-well units comprises at least one barrier-well unit of a second type, and each barrier-well unit of the second type comprises a second Group III nitride barrier layer comprising a fifth bandgap, a second Group III nitride well layer comprising a sixth bandgap, and a third Group III nitride interface layer comprising a seventh bandgap;
wherein the fifth bandgap is greater than the sixth bandgap, and the seventh bandgap is greater than the fifth bandgap.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The light emitting diode of claim 6, wherein the second Group III nitride barrier layer comprises an Ala2Inb2Ga1-a2-b2N barrier layer, the second Group III nitride well layer comprises an Inc2Ga1-c2N well layer, and the third Group III nitride interface layer comprises an Aly2Inz2Ga1-y2-z2N interface layer (wherein y2>0 and wherein y2≥z2).

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The light emitting diode of claim 6, wherein the at least one barrier-well unit of the first type comprises a plurality of barrier-well units of the first type, and a number of barrier-well units of the first type exceeds a number of barrier-well units of the second type present in the light emitting diode.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The light emitting diode of claim 8, wherein the number of barrier-well units of the first type is fewer than a total number of barrier-well units of the active region.

### Claim 10

A light emitting diode comprising:
an active region comprising a plurality of sequentially arranged barrier-well units;
wherein each barrier-well unit comprises a Group III nitride barrier layer comprising a first bandgap and a Group III nitride well layer comprising a second bandgap;
wherein at least one barrier-well unit, but fewer than all barrier-well units, of the plurality of sequentially arranged barrier-well units, additionally comprises a first Group III nitride interface layer comprising a third bandgap; and
wherein the first bandgap is greater than the second bandgap, and the third bandgap is greater than the first bandgap.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The light emitting diode of claim 10, wherein the first Group III nitride interface layer comprises a thickness of no greater than 10 Å.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The light emitting diode of claim 10, wherein the first Group III nitride interface layer comprises a thickness of no greater than 4 Å.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The light emitting diode of claim 10, wherein the first Group III nitride interface layer comprises a thickness of no greater than about 30% of the Group III nitride well layer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The light emitting diode of claim 10, wherein in the at least one barrier-well unit, the first Group III nitride interface layer is in contact with the Group III nitride well layer and is in contact with the Group III nitride barrier layer of an adjacent barrier-well unit of the plurality of sequentially arranged barrier-well units.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The light emitting diode of claim 10, wherein at least one barrier-well unit of the plurality of sequentially arranged barrier-well units comprises a second Group III nitride interface layer comprising a fourth bandgap, wherein the fourth bandgap is greater than the second bandgap, and wherein the first bandgap is greater than the fourth bandgap.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The light emitting diode of claim 15, wherein for the at least one barrier-well unit that comprises the second Group III nitride interface layer, the second Group III nitride interface layer is provided between and in contact with the Group III nitride barrier layer and the Group III nitride well layer.