SUMMARY

InGaN based quantum wells (QWs) light-emitting diodes and laser diodes play an important role in solids sate lighting (SSL). As the InGaN QWs are coupled to surface plasmon (SP) mode of metallic film, the radiative recombincation rate can be enhanced due to the increased photon density of states near the SP frequency. 

Lehigh University has developed a new method to achieve wide-spectrum tuning of Purcell peak enhancement of the spontaneous recombination rate for InGaN QWs by utilizing double-metallic layers on GaN. The use of these layers with optimized thickness allows the tuning of the Purcell enhancement factor and by varying the thickness, large Purcell enhancement can be seen.

The double-metallic layers concept can be extended with other metals on GaN to tune SP frequency from UV up to red spectral regime. This novel invention will enable the realization of surface plasmon based LEDs with significantly enhanced radiative recombination rate and radiative efficiency for all spectrum LEDs.

Lehigh Tech ID# 112009-06

THE MARKET

The SSL market is predicted to reach $33 billion by 2013, growing annually at over 10%.[1] This market is an umbrella market for LEDs, OLEDs, and PLEDs. LED technologies make up a majority of this market ($5.08 billion), with a growth rate of over 24%.[2] Additionally, 22% of the United States electricity is consumed by lighting, which costs consumers over $50 billion each year. SSL technologies have the potential to reduce this consumption by up to six times less. This potential has led to increased market need, funding resources and science centers dedicated to SSL developments, such as the $46 million Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) for solid-state lighting science funded by the Department of Energy.[3]

THE OPPORTUNITY