Using nanoimprint lithography to improve the light extraction efficiency and color rendering of dichromatic white light-emitting diodes

Abstract

Despite the efficiency of gallium nitride (GaN)-based blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs), the light extraction arising from the packaging of the phosphor remains an important issue when enhancing the performance of dichromatic white LEDs. In this study, we employed a simple, inexpensive nanoimprinting process to increase both the light extraction efficiency and color rendering of dichromatic white LEDs. We employed the rigorous coupled wave approach (RCWA) to optimize the light extraction efficiency of yellow and blue light. We found that the presence of the light extracting structures could also improve the color rendering of the dichromatic white LEDs, due to the different light extraction efficiencies of the textured structures at different wavelengths. After fabricating inverted pyramid structures on the surface of the encapsulation layer, the intensity of the blue light at 455 nm increased by 20%. When we further considered the color rendering and correlated color temperature (CCT), the enhancement of blue light was 15% and that of yellow light was 4%. Meanwhile, the light extraction of the intensity dip near 490 nm was enhanced significantly (by 25%), resulting in an increased dip-intensity of light at 490 nm relative to the intensities of the blue and yellow light. Accordingly, the color rendering index (CRI) of this dichromatic white LED increased from 69 to 73. Because it improved both the light extraction efficiency and color rendering of dichromatic white LEDs, this simple method should be very helpful for enhancing their applications in solid state illumination.