Mechanism of catastrophic degradation in InGaAsP/InP double-heterostructure light emitting diodes with Ti/Pt/Au electrodes
- 1 November 1983
- journal article
- Published by AIP Publishing in Journal of Applied Physics
- Vol. 54 (11), 6732-6739
- https://doi.org/10.1063/1.331861
Abstract
The mechanism of catastrophic degradation of InGaAsP/InP double-heterostructure light emitting diodes with Ti/Pt/Au electrodes through the application of pulsed large current, is investigated by electroluminescence topography, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. As the degradation is promoted, a dark region is generated in the center of the light emitting area. This then develops through the whole light emitting area. During the generation and the development process of the dark region, no dislocations are generated. The dark region, which develops through the whole light emitting area, consists of amorphous area and nonstructural small grains. There is clear compositional inhomogeneity in the region corresponding to the dark region. However, the electrode metals are not detected. The mechanism of the catastrophic degradation can be explained by local heating at the contact region by large current pulses, melting of the matrix crystal at the current above the degradation current level, and development of the molten region through the whole light emitting area.Keywords
This publication has 6 references indexed in Scilit:
- Mechanism of catastrophic degradation in InGaAsP/InP double-heterostructure light emitting diodes and GaAlAs double-heterostructure light emitting diodes applied with pulsed large currentJournal of Applied Physics, 1982
- Observation of etch pits produced in InP by new etchantsJournal of Crystal Growth, 1979
- Growth and propagation mechanism of 〈110〉-oriented dark-line defects in GaAs-Ga1−xAlxAs double heterostructure crystalsJournal of Applied Physics, 1977
- High-efficiency long-lived GaAlAs LED's for fiber-optical communicationsIEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, 1977
- Observation and analysis of very rapid optical degradation of GaAs/GaAlAs DH laser materialApplied Physics Letters, 1976
- Observation of dark line defects in GaP green LED’s under an external uniaxial stressApplied Physics Letters, 1976