Zinc Oxide Based Photonics Devices

The program goal is to develop UV to visible light emitting diodes based on ZnO and its alloys. The target devices are one one that will emit in the UV (300 nm) and one that will emit in the violet (400 nm), each with power greater than 5 mW. Recent data indicate ZnO-based photonic devices such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs) that use arsenic doped p-type material will have technical and operational advantages to those based on GaN. Principal advantages include ease of film growth at lower cost, larger exciton binding energy to give higher brightness in emission and sensitivity in detection, the availability of single crystal ZnO substrates to reduce defect densities, and existence of wet chemical etching processes for use in the fabrication process. A shallow acceptor level increases the hole carrier activation ratio. Room temperature device operation should show higher efficiency, higher powers, and longer lifetimes. In Phase II, (Zn, Be, Mg, O)-ternary alloys and ZnO/(ZnBeO and/or ZnMgO) superlattices for UV/Violet light emitting and receiving applications will be fabricated using a new growth technique that provides high quality films. Quantum-well structured devices of ZnO-based UV/Violet LEDs will be fabricated, tested, and optimized for high power and performance, long lifetime, and stability.