The objective of this program is to develop low dislocation density semi-polar AlGaN templates and substrate technology and demonstrate their feasibility for fabricating polarization-free high power, high-efficiency deep ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UVLEDs). Another leading objective is to integrate scientific research with innovative educational programs aimed at training high school, undergraduate level, graduate level students and post-doctoral researchers at University of South Carolina.
The intellectual merit is to understand and fabricate the polarization free deep UVLEDs with emission wavelengths from 250 to 365 nm for applications in water/air purification, analytical scientific instrumentation, bio-agent detection systems, and emerging medical instrumentation. Although the polar (c-plane) based deep UV devices are able to penetrate some niche markets, the output power is far below that which is required for penetration of the largest UV market segments. Polarization free, semi-polar deep UVLEDs have great potential to overcome the current issues faced by polar UVLEDs for integration in systems.
The broader impacts are very significant as this program will create high tech jobs in the state of South Carolina. The proposed research activity will also help to support the research at the University of South Carolina at Columbia. The knowledge created will be broadly disseminated. The funds will provide learning opportunity for under-represented groups. Moreover the application of deep UVLEDs in air-water purification will provide a tremendous benefit to society in general. The proposed technology is thus transformative in nature.
