Vertical Thinking in Light Emitting Diodes

Speaker: Prof. Can Bayram
Affiliation: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Abstract: Light emitting diodes (LEDs) promise energy-efficient, durable, environmental, and compact lighting for a variety of applications including general illumination and optogenetics. GaN materials (i.e. III-nitrides) are the backbone of LEDs emitting in the ultraviolet, blue, and green spectra. LED layers, grown conventionally on sapphire and silicon carbide substrates, are wurtzite in phase and possess inherit polarization fields along the common growth direction. However, recent studies showed polarization fields to contribute droop phenomena in LEDs. Thus, it is essential to focus on polarization-free designs to improve GaN photonic and vertical transport device performance. In this talk, I will report on a novel means of enabling polarization-free GaN devices via controlling material phase. In another aspect, with exciting developments in optogenetics, thin film devices capable of biomonitoring, biomanipulation, and biointegration are becoming essential. However, visible LEDs used in optogenetics are lateral-oriented, thick, and rigid – limiting their efficiency, thermal budget, and bio-integration. In this respect, I will talk about our promising results in enabling vertical-oriented, thin, and flexible LEDs. Vertical thinking is shown to be critical for enabling innovative and exciting opportunities for GaN-based LEDs.

Biography: Can Bayram is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. He is an expert in III-V materials and photonic and electronic devices. He has performed more than 3,000+ epitaxial growths with metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) systems and fabricated detectors, light emitting diodes, solar cells, resonant tunneling diodes, and transistors in class 100 and 1000 cleanrooms totaling 20,000+ hrs equipment usage. His current research interests lie in the intersection of novel III-V materials, hetero-structures, and photonic and electronic quantum devices. Particularly, his research group at UIUC explores novel materials, devices, and their 3D hetero-integration (on unconventional platforms such as graphene and silicon) and investigates heat transport across/through semiconductors; efficiency droop mechanisms and remedies in AlInGaN emitters; and ultra-fast THz photonics/electronics. Prof. Bayram’s work has been recognized widely. He is the recipient of the 2018 IEEE Nanotechnology Council Early Career Award, a 2018 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research for Assistant Professor, a 2017 NSF CAREER Award, a 2016 AFOSR Young Investigator Award, the 2014 IEEE Electron Devices Society Early Career Award, and the Best Paper Award at the 11th International Conference on Infrared Optoelectronics. Prof. Bayram is an affiliate faculty of Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory. He has (co-) authored 41 journal papers (h-index ≥ 21), 33 conference proceeding papers, 2 book chapters, and has ≥ 45 patents issued/pending. For his achievements in ultraviolet-to-terahertz engineering of III-V semiconductor materials and devices, SPIE and IEEE recognized him with senior member status.

For more information, contact Prof. Yuanxun “Ethan” Wang (ywang@ee.ucla.edu)

Date/Time:
Date(s) - Apr 09, 2018
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

Location:
EE-IV Shannon Room #54-134
420 Westwood Plaza - 5th Flr., Los Angeles CA 90095