Influence of optical polarization on the improvement of light extraction efficiency from reflective scattering structures in AlGaN ultraviolet light-emitting diodes

The improvement in light extraction efficiency from reflective scattering structures in AlGaN ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UVLEDs) emitting at ∼270 nm is shown to be influenced by optical polarization. Three UVLEDs with different reflective scattering structures are investigated and compared to standard UVLEDs without scattering structures. The optical polarization and therefore the direction of light propagation within the various UVLEDs are altered by changes in the quantum well (QW) thickness. The improvement in light extraction efficiency of the UVLEDs with reflective scattering structures increases, compared to the UVLEDs without scattering structures, as the fraction of emitted light propagating parallel to the QW plane increases. Additionally, the light extraction efficiency increases as the average distance to the reflective scattering structures decreases.