Research gives longer lifespan for UV LEDs
Spectacular results within near-field optics
Two KTH ICT researchers – Andrea Pinos and Saulius Marcenkevicius – in collaboration with an American company have studied UV LEDs by scanning near-field optical spectroscopy. They have discovered an unknown type of aging mechanism. The results have already contributed to improve UV LEDs and give longer lifespan.
Andrea Pinos and Saulius Marcinkevicius from the Optics group are connected to the ADOPT center. In collaboration with a company Sensor Electronic Technology (USA) they have preformed studies on UV emitting AlGaN quantum well LED by scanning near-field optical spectroscopy.
In the study, a novel aging mechanism, related to evolution of microscopic domains present in the active region of the device, has been discovered. These results have already contributed to further technological development of these devices.
The results have been published in Applied Physics Letters 95, 181914 (2009) and been highlighted in the January/February 2010 issue of a popular magazine Compound Semiconductor.
