High-performance AlGaN ultraviolet light-emitting diode with a tunnel junction based on inverted architecture

Abstract In this study, we propose and numerically investigate a novel Ga-polar AlGaN-based ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diode (LED) featuring an inverted architecture with a bottom tunnel junction located beneath the active region. This design reverses the carrier injection direction, significantly enhancing injection efficiency and uniformity within the multiple quantum wells. Simulation results demonstrate that the optimized electrostatic field effectively suppresses electron leakage and mitigates the quantum-confined Stark effect, leading to improved radiative recombination rates. Compared to conventional UV LEDs, the proposed structure achieves over 55% higher output power and substantially reduced efficiency droop under high injection currents. This work offers an effective strategy for boosting the efficiency of Ga-polar AlGaN UV LEDs without relying on N-polar growth.