Efficiency enhancement in a-plane InGaN/GaN light emitters with carbon nanotubes

This study investigates the coupling modes of a-plane InGaN/GaN mutiquantum wells (MQWs) with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The enhancement of light emissions at resonance photon energies can be explained by the surface plasmon coupling of the MQW-SWCNT hybrid structure. The photoluminescence (PL) enhancement ratios of the indigo (2.90 eV) emission from MQWs with SWCNTs reveal three coupling modes at 2.50 eV, 2.97 eV, and 3.42 eV. In addition, the trend of the PL intensity ratios and efficiencies corresponds to that of the PL enhancement ratios. The PL efficiencies for the green (2.46 eV) and indigo (2.90 eV) emissions of SWCNT-coated MQWs are 32% and 110% better than the corresponding values of uncoated MQWs, respectively. The results show that the MQW-SWCNT hybrid structure has the potential to be applied in high-efficiency light emitters in the visible and ultraviolet range.