Institute of High Pressure Physics

Tunnel junction and its applications for GaN based optoelectronics

Project is carried out within the TeamTech programme of the Foundation for Polish Science

Programme description:

Programme TEAM-TECH offers grants for research teams headed by leading scientists carrying out R&D projects related to a new product or production process (technological or manufacturing) of significant importance for the economy.

Project goal:

New concept of p-n tunnel junctions and their application in novel optoelectronic GaN-based devices will be investigated. Tunnel junctions may be applied to multicolor LEDs, vertical laser diodes, high power laser diode arrays, efficient solar cells or vertical n-p-n transistors. These devices will be fabricated using plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy.

Project description:

New concept of p-n tunnel junctions and their application in novel optoelectronic GaN-based devices will be investigated. Tunnel junctions may be applied to multicolor LEDs, vertical laser diodes, high power laser diode arrays, efficient solar cells or vertical n-p-n transistors. These devices will be fabricated using plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy.
The project will involve collaboration between the Institute of High Pressure Physics Polis Academy of Sciences, Faculty of Physics Warsaw University, Faculty of Physics Wrocław University of Technology, Technical Universities of Madrid and Montpellier and TopGaN company, that develops commercial nitride laser diode solutions.
The innovative concept proposed in the project is based on the unique construction of the p-n tunnel junction that provides high tunneling efficiency through the junction minimizing its resistivity. The concept makes use of very high electric fields present in wurtzite crystal structure that modify the nitride tunnel junctions properties.
We will aim at fabrication edge-emitting laser diodes emitting at 480-490 nm (DFB – Distributed Feedback) and cascade multicolor LEDs.  We will investigate the possibility of the application of tunnel junctions in monolithic vertical cavity surface emitting laser diodes (VCSELs).

Scientific results obtained in the Project will be commercialized in TopGaN company that will support the scientists in laser diodes and LEDs processing.

More information on the Project and research carried out in MBE Laboratory can be found at http://www.unipress.waw.pl/mbe/en/teamtech

Research team:

Research team of our TeamTECH project consists of experts in MBE, laser physics, modelling and laser processing:

• prof. dr hab. Czesław Skierbiszewski - Project Leader
• dr inż. Grzegorz Muzioł - PostDoc
• mgr inż. Krzesimir Szkudlarek - PhD student
• mgr Maciej Mikosza - PhD student
• mgr Anna Feduniewicz-Żmuda - researcher/technician
• dr inż. Marta Sawicka - PostDoc voluntary
• inż. Mateusz Hajdel - MSc student
• inż. Mikołaj Żak - MSc student
• inż. Mikołaj Chlipała - MSc student
• inż. Julia Sławińska - MSc student