Micrometer sized LEDs for display applications

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GaAsP/GaAs based micrometer-sized light emitting diode (µ-LED) is emerging as a very promising technology for next generation high-resolution, high-efficiency displays because of its significant advantages over the existing products - its luminance level can be several orders of magnitude higher than liquid-crystal-device (LCD) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays. It has low voltage requirements and is amenable to hybrid complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) and integrated-circuit (IC) assembly. However, this technology can't be commercialized until one critical issue can be effectively addressed - the significant efficiency droop observed when the device size shrinks to micrometer range (3-10 µm). In this project, we will work closely with our industry partner - VueReal Technologies Inc., a Waterloo-based high-tech company, to explore and develop a new technical approach that can enhance the optical emission efficiency of µ-LEDs by minimizing the leakage current through the shunt paths over dry-etched mesa sidewalls. The research objectives are 1) To develop an optimized dry and/or wet GaAsP/GaAs etching process for minimizing sidewall defects/impurities, 2) To develop dielectric passivation thin film to passivate sidewall trap centers created during the dry etch process, 3) To fabricate red µ-LED devices for achieving optimum device performance, 4) To develop a new detaching and transferring approach to integrate the red µ-LED devices with an IC backplane substrate. This project will also provide an excellent opportunity for highly qualified personal (HQP) to gain hands-on experience with device fabrication and characterization, as well as display technologies. This collaboration project will provide the much urgently-needed expertise and facilities at the University of Waterloo to the industry partner for their device R&D activities. It is expected that novel display techniques/prototypes derived from this project can be commercialized by the industry partner, which would establish a leadership position for the industry partner within this fast-growing market.