Investigation of the electroluminescence spectrum shift of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well light-emitting diodes under direct and pulsed currents

Electroluminescence (EL) spectra of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well light emitting diodes with different piezoelectric polarization fields were investigated under pulsed and direct currents. We find a positive correlation between the piezoelectric polarization field and the thermally induced red-shift of the EL spectra at high direct currents above 25 A/cm². Under pulsed current, when thermal effects are negligible, a non-uniform EL spectrum blue-shift rate as a function of injection level is observed and compared with numerical results obtained by both self-consistent and non-self-consistent K·P methods. We conclude that the screening effect is positively related to the piezoelectric polarization field, but the band filling-induced blue-shift is almost independent from the piezoelectric field. The electrostatic fields induced by free carriers in the quantum wells increase rapidly with current but tend to saturate at higher injection where the band filling effect becomes the dominant mechanism for the blue-shift. Finally, at high injection above 30 A/cm², an increase in Auger recombination and carrier leakage holds the spectral peaks almost constant in position.