Gallium nitride micro-light-emitting diode structured light sources for multi-modal optical wireless communications...

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics
• Solid-state lighting
• Optical wireless communications

Background:

• Gallium nitride (GaN)-based LEDs are key for efficient blue and green light generation.
• Broad-area LEDs dominate lighting, but micro-scale LEDs (micro-LEDs) offer unique advantages.
• Micro-LEDs are crucial for optical wireless communications (OWC) and advanced smart lighting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the advantages of micro-LEDs over traditional LEDs.
• To highlight the potential of micro-LED arrays in OWC and smart lighting.
• To detail the methods for achieving temporal and spatial control in micro-LED systems.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of micro-LEDs in array formats.
• Bonding micro-LED arrays to complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) control electronics.
• Utilizing micro-LEDs as digital-to-light converters for structured light patterns.

Main Results:

• Micro-LEDs enable high current density operation, leading to high modulation bandwidths and optical power density.
• Array formats allow tailored device layouts for specific OWC applications.
• Integrated micro-LED chips provide precise temporal and spatial control for advanced functionalities.

Conclusions:

• Micro-LED arrays, with integrated control electronics, function as chip-scale digital-to-light converters.
• These devices enable sophisticated OWC systems, including tracking, imaging, and space-division multiple access.
• The high-speed and controlled nature of micro-LED arrays unlocks complex functionalities for next-generation lighting and communication.