New Method for Boosting the Light Output of Green LEDs

A Rensselaer research team led by Christian Wetzel, a professor of physics, etched a nanoscale pattern at the interface between a light-emitting diode’s (LED) sapphire base and the layer of gallium nitride (GaN) that gives the LED its green color. The new technique results in green LEDs with notable enhancements in light extraction, internal efficiency, and light output. The discovery brings Wetzel one step closer to his goal of developing a high-performance, low-cost green LED.