A study of thermal processes in high-power InGaN/GaN flip-chip LEDs by IR thermal imaging microscopy

Results of an experimental study of temperature fields generated in high-power AlGaInN heterostructure flip-chip light-emitting diodes (LEDs) via their self-heating at high working currents are presented. The method of IR thermal imaging microscopy employed in the study enables a direct measurement of the temperature distribution over the p-n junction area with a high resolution of similar to 3 mu m at an absolute measurement error of similar to 2 K. It is shown that large temperature gradients may arise in high-power LEDs at high excitation levels as a result of current crowding. This effect should be taken into account when designing lightemitting chips and estimating the admissible operation modes. The method of IR thermal imaging microscopy can also reveal microscopic defects giving rise to current leakage channels and impairing device reliability.