
无数据
1.School of Integrated Circuits, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
2.State Key Laboratory of Reliability and Intelligence of Electrical Equipment, School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Beichen, Tianjin, China
3.Institute of Nanoscience and Applications, and Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
Zi-Hui Zhang (zh.zhang@hebut.edu.cn)
Received:29 June 2025,
Revised:2026-02-01,
Accepted:11 February 2026,
Online First:10 March 2026,
Published:30 June 2026
Scan QR Code
Chu, C. S. et al. Making UV light visible by exciting polarization-gate phototransistor to achieve energy transfer into GaN-based blue emission. Light: Science & Applications, 15, 1884-1894 (2026).
Chu, C. S. et al. Making UV light visible by exciting polarization-gate phototransistor to achieve energy transfer into GaN-based blue emission. Light: Science & Applications, 15, 1884-1894 (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41377-026-02242-4.
In this work
we have made ultraviolet (UV) light visible by proposing and fabricating an integrated optoelectronic device. The demonstrated device consists of a GaN-based blue mini-light-emitting diode (m
ini-LED) and a phototransistor. The phototransistor is specially designed with an Al
0.20
Ga
0.80
N polarization gate. The background electrons can be depleted by the polarization gate to enable the normally-off state for the integrated optoelectronic device when there is no UV illumination. Our measured results show that when the polarization-gated phototransistor is switched off
the current for the integrated optoelectronic device is as low as 1.4 × 10
−4
mA even when the device is biased to 10 V. Upon the 12.7 mW UV excitation
the current for the integrated device can be increased to 44.4 mA at the bias of 10.0 V. This enables the GaN-based visible mini-LED to generate the optical power of 81.1 mW. The largest power ratio between the UV excitation light and the mini-LED light of 49.8 times can be achieved
indicating the advantage of monitoring weak UV light by using the proposed design.
Chen, Z. Y. et al. Enhancement of light extraction efficiency in AlGaN-based deep ultraviolet light-emitting diodes using cooperative scattering structures on the n-AlGaN layer. Laser Photonics Rev. 19 , 2401926 (2025)..
Cao, F. et al. Wide bandgap semiconductors for ultraviolet photodetectors: approaches, applications, and prospects. Research 7 , 0385 (2024)..
Zhang, C. Y. et al. Recent progress on AlGaN based deep ultraviolet light-emitting diodes below 250 nm. Crystals 12 , 1812 (2022)..
International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection. Guidelines on limits of exposure to ultraviolet radiation of wavelengths between 180 nm and 400 nm (incoherent optical radiation). Health Phys. 87 , 171–186 (2004)..
Xie, C. et al. Recent progress in solar-blind deep-ultraviolet photodetectors based on inorganic ultrawide bandgap semiconductors. Adv. Funct. Mater. 29 , 1806006 (2019)..
Wang, J. X. et al. Polarization assisted self-powered GaN-based UV photodetector with high responsivity. Photonics Res. 9 , 734–740 (2021)..
Xu, Z. Y. et al. Low leakage and high gain GaN p-i-n avalanche photodiode with shallow bevel mesa edge termination and recessed window. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 71 , 3761–3768 (2024)..
Liang, F. Z. et al. GaN-based HEMT-type VUV phototransistors with superior triple-mode photodetection. IEEE Electron Device Lett. 45 , 853–856 (2024)..
Chen, Y. X. et al. Solar-blind ultraviolet emission-detection monolithic integration of AlGaN multiple-quantum-well diodes via concentric ring-circle configuration. Appl. Phys. Lett. 124 , 161113 (2024)..
He, R. et al. Solar-blind photonic integrated chips for real-time on-chip communication. APL Photonics 9 , 076104 (2024)..
Tian, K. K. et al. Physical models and numerical modeling for 280 nm AlGaN-based emission-and-detection dual functional integrated devices by managing hole transport and recombination. Opt. Express 33 , 10609–10620 (2025)..
Lu, Y. et al. Monolithic integration of deep ultraviolet and visible light-emitting diodes for radiative sterilization application. Appl. Phys. Lett. 124 , 111102 (2024)..
Chu, C. S. et al. On the impact of electron leakage on the efficiency droop for AlGaN based deep ultraviolet light emitting diodes. IEEE Photonics J. 12 , 1600207 (2020)..
Xing, Z. Q. et al. Dual polarization for efficient Ⅲ-nitride-based deep ultraviolet micro-LEDs. Sci. Rep. 14 , 17961 (2024)..
Kim, J. K. et al. GaN light-emitting triodesfor high-efficiency hole injection. J. Electrochem. Soc. 153 , G734–G376 (2006)..
Hwang, S. et al. Promotion of hole injection enabled by GaInN/GaN light-emitting triodes and its effect on the efficiency droop. Appl. Phys. Lett. 99 , 181115 (2011)..
Piao, J. L., Wu, J. H. & Wang, Y. J. Effective modulation of GaN-on-Si LED via indigenous MOSFET engineering. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 68 , 5640–5644 (2021)..
Chen, D. B. et al. GaN-based micro-light-emitting diode driven by a monolithic integrated ultraviolet phototransistor. IEEE Electron Device Lett. 43 , 80–83 (2022)..
Piao, J. L. et al. Effective integration of a MOSFET phototransistor to a GaN LED for UV sensing. Opt. Lett. 47 , 3572–3575 (2022)..
Su, W. J. et al. Design and photomodulation performance of a UV-driven full GaN integrated μLED and BJT phototransistor. ACS Photonics 11 , 649–659 (2024)..
Lee, M. et al. InGaN/GaN blue light emitting dio des using freestanding GaN extracted from a Si substrate. ACS Photonics 5 , 1453–1459 (2018)..
Zhou, S. J. et al. Application of patterned sapphire substrate for Ⅲ-nitride light-emitting diodes. Nanoscale 14 , 4887–4907 (2022)..
Persiano, G. V. & Bellone, S. Test structure design for the evaluation of carrier-carrier scattering effect on hole and electron mobilities. IEEE Trans. Semiconductor Manuf. 10 , 219–227 (1997)..
Takeuchi, H., Sumioka, T. & Nakayama, M. Effects of photogenerated carrier scattering on the decay process of coherent longitudinal optical phonons in an undoped GaAs/ n -type GaAs epitaxial structure investigated by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 35 , 04D104 (2017)..
Reddy, P. et al. Defect-free Ni/GaN Schottky barrier behavior with high temperature stability. Appl. Phys. Lett. 110 , 011603 (2017)..
Malyutenko, V. K. & Bolgov, S. S. Effect of current crowding on the ideality factor in MQW InGaN/GaN LEDs on sapphire substrates. In Proceedings of SPIE 7617, Light-Emitting Diodes: Materials, Devices, and Applications for Solid State Lighting XIV (SPIE, 2010).
Liu, Y. J. et al. Improved performance of an InGaN-based light-emitting diode with a p-GaN/n-GaN barrier junction. IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 47 , 755–761 (2011)..
Che, J. M. et al. Doping-induced energy barriers to improve the current spreading effect for AlGaN-based ultraviolet-B light-emitting diodes. IEEE Electron Device Lett. 41 , 1001–1004 (2020)..
Huang, S. J. et al. Lateral current spreading effect on the efficiency droop in GaN based light-emitting diodes. J. Disp. Technol. 9 , 266–271 (2013)..
Wei, Y. Q. et al. GaN-based low-energy X-ray single photon detector with photon energy resolution and fast response. IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 36 , 123–126 (2024)..
Piprek, J. Efficiency droop in nitride-based light-emitting diodes. Phys. Status Solidi A 207 , 2217–2225 (2010)..
Cho, J. H., Schubert, E. F. & Kim, J. K. Efficiency droop in light-emitting diodes: challenges and countermeasures. Laser Photonics Rev. 7 , 408–421 (2013)..
Thirasuntrakul, P. et al. Efficiency droop contributors in InGaN green light emitting diodes. Appl. Phys. Lett. 126 , 211103 (2025)..
Jia, Y. R. et al. Impact of the surface recombination on the thermal properties for GaN-based μ LEDs. IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 35 , 1111–1114 (2023)..
Zhang, S. H. et al. Impact of KOH wet treatment on the electrical and optical characteristics of GaN-Based red μLEDs. Crystals 15 , 288 (2025)..
Son, K. R. et al. Investigation of sidewall passivation mechanism of InGaN-based blue microscale light-emitting diodes. Appl. Surf. Sci. 584 , 152612 (2022)..
Liu, Z. S. et al. Improving AlGaN-based deep-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes: SiO 2 passivation and size optimization for enhanced optoelectronic performance. Appl. Phys. Lett. 124 , 161112 (2024)..
Li, S. Z. et al. Effect of post-deposition annealing on atomic layer deposited SiO 2 film for silicon surface passivation. Mater. Sci. Semiconductor Process. 106 , 104777 (2020)..
Vurgaftman, I. & Meyer, J. R. Band parameters for nitrogen-containing semiconductors. J. Appl. Phys. 94 , 3675–3696 (2003)..
Meneghini, M. et al. A combined electro-optical method for the determination of the recombination parameters in InGaN-based light-emitting diodes. J. Appl. Phys. 106 , 114508 (2009)..
Piprek, J. & Nakamura, S. Physics of high-power InGaN/GaN lasers. IEE Proc. Optoelectron. 149 , 145–151 (2002)..
Hang, S. et al. On the impact of the beveled mesa for GaN-based micro-light emitting diodes: electrical and optical properties. Opt. Express 30 , 37675–37685 (2022)..
0
Views
0
Downloads
0
CSCD
Publicity Resources
Related Articles
Related Author
Related Institution
京公网安备11010802024621