Nitride light-emitting diodes

We review the progress in the field of InGaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and discuss the issue of threading dislocations and the luminous efficiency. The first candela-class blue LEDs have been developed. An InGaN layer was used to produce these LEDs instead of a GaN active layer. The quantum-well structure InGaN active layer dramatically improved the external quantum efficiency. There are a number of threading dislocations in nitride-based LEDs. InGaN LEDs, however, have quite high external quantum efficiency. With regard to this, it is thought that the fluctuation of the indium mole fraction is strongly related to the high external quantum efficiency. Considering the density of threading dislocations in the nitride-based LEDs, we discuss what can improve the external quantum efficiency of nitride-based LEDs.