Localized quantum well excitons in InGaN single-quantum-well amber light-emitting diodes

Optical properties of the InGaN single-quantum-well amber light-emitting-diodes were investigated to verify the importance of localized quantum well (QW) excitons in their spontaneous emission mechanisms. The internal piezoelectric field (F-PZ) across the QW of the order of 1.4 MV/cm was confirmed to point from the surface to the substrate. Transmittance and photovoltaic spectra exhibited a broad band tail state, and the emission lifetime increased with decreasing detection photon energy. The electroluminescence spectra did not show remarkable energy shift between 10 and 300 K. The spectra exhibited an exponential tail and the higher energy portion increased more rapidly than that of the lower energy one, reflecting a thermal distribution of the localized carriers within the tail states. Since the well thickness is only 2.5 nm and is atomically flat, the device is considered to exhibit reasonably efficient emission with the external quantum efficiency of 5% at 20 mA in spite of the presence of F-PZ and large number of threading dislocations due to radiative decay of the localized QW excitons. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)02522-6].