Individually Switchable InGaN/GaN Nano-LED Arrays as Highly Resolved Illumination Engines

GaN-based light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been shown to effectively operate down to nanoscale dimensions, which allows further downscaling the chip-based LED display technology from micro- to nanoscale. This brings up the question of what resolution limit of the illumination pattern can be obtained. We show two different approaches to achieve individually switchable nano-LED arrays. We evaluated both designs in terms of near-field spot size and optical crosstalk between neighboring pixels by using finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations. The numerical results were compared with the performance data from a fabricated nano-LED array. The outcome underlines the influence of geometry of the LED array and materials used in contact lines on the final illumination spot size and shape.

Automated summary

GaN-based LEDs have demonstrated efficient operation at nanoscale, enabling the downsizing of chip-based LED display technology. Two approaches to achieving individually switchable nano-LED arrays were evaluated using simulations and compared with performance data from fabricated arrays. The study highlights the impact of LED array geometry and materials on the final illumination spot size and shape.