Fabrication of dicing-free vertical-structured high-power GaN-based light-emitting diodes with selective nickel electroplating and patterned laser liftoff techniques

Through the use of selective nickel (Ni) electroplating, patterned laser liftoff technique, and surface roughing of the top n-GaN epilayer, a novel process for the fabrication of vertical-structured metal-substrate GaN-based light-emitting diodes (VM-LEDs) to avoid difficulties in Ni substrate dicing and improve device yield was proposed and demonstrated. In conjunction with a sidewall passivation with SiO₂and keeping the size of epilayer smaller than that of Ni island, a considerable improvement in yield and device performance were shown. As compared to conventional lateral-structured GaN-based LEDs, VM-LEDs show an increase in light output power about 174% at 350 mA with a significant decrease in forward voltage from 3.5 to 3.17 V.