Quasi-2D Growth of Aluminum Nitride Film on Graphene for Boosting Deep Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Diodes

Efficient and low-cost production of high-quality aluminum nitride (AlN) films during heteroepitaxy is the key for the development of deep ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (DUV-LEDs). Here, the quasi-2D growth of high-quality AlN film with low strain and low dislocation density on graphene (Gr) is presented and a high-performance 272 nm DUV-LED is demonstrated. Guided by first-principles calculations, it is found that AlN grown on Gr prefers lateral growth both energetically and kinetically, thereby resulting in a Gr-driven quasi-2D growth mode. The strong lateral growth mode enables most of dislocations to annihilate each other at the AlN/Gr interface, and therefore the AlN epilayer can quickly coalesce and flatten the nanopatterned sapphire substrate. Based on the high quality and low strain of AlN film grown on Gr, the as-fabricated 272 nm DUV-LED shows a 22% enhancement of output power than that with low-temperature AlN buffer, following a negligible wavelength shift under high current. This facile strategy opens a pathway to drastically improve the performance of DUV-LEDs.