This paper presents an extensive investigation of the deep levels related to non-radiative recombination in InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The study is based on combined optical and deep-level transient spectroscopy measurements, carried out on LEDs with identical structure and with different values of the non-radiative recombination coefficient. Experimental data lead to the following, relevant, results: (i) LEDs with a high non-radiative recombination coefficient have a higher concentration of a trap (labeled as “e2”) with an activation energy of 0.7 eV, which is supposed to be located close to/within the active region; (ii) measurements carried out with varying filling pulse duration suggest that this deep level behaves as a point-defect/dislocation complex. The Arrhenius plot of this deep level is critically compared with the previous literature reports, to identify its physical origin

This paper reports an extensive analysis of the defect-related localized emission processes occurring in InGaN/GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) at low reverse- and forward-bias conditions. The analysis is based on combined electrical characterization and spectrally and spatially resolved electroluminescence (EL) measurements. Results of this analysis show that: (i) under reverse bias, LEDs can emit a weak luminescence signal, which is directly proportional to the injected reverse current. Reverse-bias emission is localized in submicrometer-size spots; the intensity of the signal is strongly correlated to the threading dislocation (TD) density, since TDs are preferential paths for leakage current conduction. (ii) Under low forward-bias conditions, the intensity of the EL signal is not uniform over the device area. Spectrally resolved EL analysis of green LEDs identifies the presence of localized spots emitting at 600 nm (i.e., in the yellow spectral region), whose origin is ascribed to localized tunneling occurring between the quantum wells and the barrier layers of the diodes, with subsequent defect-assisted radiative recombination. The role of defects in determining yellow luminescence is confirmed by the high activation energy of the thermal quenching of yellow emission (Ea = 0.64 eV)

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