Stacked quantum well aluminum indium gallium nitride light emitting diodes

Claim 2

A quantum well light emitting diode comprising: a first barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride; a first active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said first barrier layer; a second barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said first active layer; a second active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said second barrier layer; and a third barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said second active layer; wherein said first active layer includes a first ratio of indium to gallium and wherein said second active layer includes a second ratio of indium to gallium which is different from said first ratio; and wherein said first and second ratios are selected to produce corresponding first and second emission wavelengths from said first and second active layers, such that said first and second emission wavelengths combine to produce white light.

Claim 3

A light emitting diode according to claim 1 further comprising: means for biasing said light emitting diode so that said first and second active layers produce corresponding first and second emission intensities and/or wavelengths.

Claim 4

A light emitting diode according to claim 1 wherein said first barrier layer is on a substrate.

Claim 5

A light emitting diode according to claim 3: wherein said first active layer has a first ratio of indium to gallium and said second active layer has a second ratio of indium to gallium; and wherein said first ratio is greater than said second ratio.

Claim 6

A light emitting diode according to claim 3 further comprising a buffer layer between said substrate and said first barrier layer.

Claim 7

A light emitting diode according to claim 5 further comprising a first cladding layer between said buffer layer and said first barrier layer.

Claim 8

A light emitting diode according to claim 6 further comprising a second cladding layer on said third barrier layer.

Claim 9

A quantum well light emitting diode comprising: a first barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride; a first active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said first barrier layer; a second barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitrode on said first active layer; a second active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said second barrier layer; and a third barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said second active layer; a third active layer comprising indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said second active layer; a third active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said third barrier layer; and a fourth barrier layer comprising aluminum nitride on said third barrier layer; and a fourth barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said third active layer; wherein said first active layer includes a firs ratio of indium to gallium, wherein said second active layer includes a second ratio of indium to gallium, and wherein said third active layer includes a third ratio of indium to gallium, said first, second and third ratios being different from one another; and wherein said first, second and third ratios are selected to produce corresponding first, second and third emission wavelengths from said first, second and third active layers, such that said first, second and third emission wavelengths combine to produce white light.

Claim 10

A quantum well light emitting diode comprising: a first barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride; a first active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said first barrier layer; a second barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitrode on said first active layer; a second active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said second barrier layer; and a third barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said second active layer; a third active layer comprising indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said second active layer; a third active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said third barrier layer; and a fourth barrier layer comprising aluminum nitride on said third barrier layer; and a fourth barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said third active layer; wherein said first active layer includes a firs ratio of indium to gallium, wherein said second active layer includes a second ratio of indium to gallium, and wherein said third active layer includes a third ratio of indium to gallium, said first, second and third ratios being different from one another; and wherein said first, second and third ratios are selected to produce corresponding first, second and third emission wavelengths from said first, second and third active layers, such that said first, second and third emission wavelengths combine to produce white light.

Claim 11

A light emitting diode according to claim 8 further comprising: means for biasing said light emitting diode so that said first, second and third active layers produce corresponding first, second and third emission intensities or wavelengths.

Claim 12

A light emitting diode according to claim 8 wherein said first barrier layer is on a substrate.

Claim 13

A light emitting diode according to claim 10 wherein said first barrier layer is doped a first conductivity type and wherein said fourth barrier layer is doped a second conductivity type.

Claim 14

A light emitting diode according to claim 10: wherein said first active layer has a first ratio of indium to gallium, said second active layer has a second ratio of indium to gallium and said third active layer has a third ratio of indium to gallium; and wherein said first ratio is greater than said second ratio, and said second ratio is greater than said third ratio.

Claim 15

A light emitting diode according to claim 10 further comprising a buffer layer between said substrate and said first barrier layer.

Claim 16

A light emitting diode according to claim 13 further comprising a first cladding layer between said buffer layer and said first barrier layer.

Claim 17

A light emitting diode according to claim 14 further comprising a second cladding layer on said fourth barrier layer.

Claim 18

A quantum well light emitting diode comprising: a first barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitrode or aluminum gallium nitrode; a first active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said first barrier layer; a second barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitrode or aluminum gallium nitride on said first active layer; a second active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said second barrier layer; a third barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said second active layer; wherein said first active layer includes a first ratio of indium to gallium and wherein said second active layer includes a second ratio of indium to gallium which is different from said first ratio; and means for individually biasing said first and second active layers so that said first and second active layers produce corresponding first and second emission intensities or wavelengths which vary as a function of the individual bias on the first and second active layers.

Claim 19

A quantum well light emitting diode comprising: a first barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitrode or aluminum gallium nitrode; a first active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said first barrier layer; a second barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitrode or aluminum gallium nitride on said first active layer; a second active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said second barrier layer; a third barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said second active layer; wherein said first active layer includes a first ratio of indium to gallium and wherein said second active layer includes a second ratio of indium to gallium which is different from said first ratio; and means for individually biasing said first and second active layers so that said first and second active layers produce corresponding first and second emission intensities or wavelengths which vary as a function of the individual bias on the first and second active layers.

Claim 20

A quantum well light emitting diode comprising: a first barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitrode or aluminum gallium nitrode; a first active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said first barrier layer; a second barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitrode or aluminum gallium nitrode on said first active layer; a second active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said second barrier layer; and a third barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said second active layer; a third active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said third barrier layer; and a fourth barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said third active layer; wherein said first active layer includes a first ratio of indium to gallium, wherein said second active layer includes a second ratio of indium to gallium, and wherein said third active layer includes a third ratio of indium to gallium, said first, second and third ratios being different from one another; and means for individually biasing said first, second and third active layers so that said first, second and third active layers produce corresponding first, second and third emission intensities or wavelengths which vary as a function of the individual bias on the first, second and third active layers.

Claim 21

A quantum well light emitting diode comprising: a first barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitrode or aluminum gallium nitrode; a first active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said first barrier layer; a second barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitrode or aluminum gallium nitrode on said first active layer; a second active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said second barrier layer; and a third barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said second active layer; a third active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said third barrier layer; and a fourth barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said third active layer; wherein said first active layer includes a first ratio of indium to gallium, wherein said second active layer includes a second ratio of indium to gallium, and wherein said third active layer includes a third ratio of indium to gallium, said first, second and third ratios being different from one another; and means for individually biasing said first, second and third active layers so that said first, second and third active layers produce corresponding first, second and third emission intensities or wavelengths which vary as a function of the individual bias on the first, second and third active layers.

Claim 22

A quantum well light emitting diode comprising: a first barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitrode; a first active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said first barrier layer; a second barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said first active layer; a second active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said second barrier layer; and a third barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said second active layer; wherein said first active layer includes a first ratio of indium to gallium and wherein said second active layer includes a second ratio of indium to gallium which is different from said first ratio; wherein said first barrier layer is on a substrate; and wherein said first barrier layer is doped a first conductivity type and wherein said third barrier layer is doped a second conductivity type.

Claim 23

A quantum well light emitting diode comprising: a first barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitrode; a first active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said first barrier layer; a second barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said first active layer; a second active layer comprising indium gallium nitride on said second barrier layer; and a third barrier layer comprising aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride on said second active layer; wherein said first active layer includes a first ratio of indium to gallium and wherein said second active layer includes a second ratio of indium to gallium which is different from said first ratio; wherein said first barrier layer is on a substrate; and wherein said first barrier layer is doped a first conductivity type and wherein said third barrier layer is doped a second conductivity type.

Claim 24

A quantum well light emitting diode comprising: a plurality of stacked active layers of indium gallium nitride, separated by barrier layers of aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride, wherein ratios of indium to gallium differ in at least two of said stacked active layers; wherein the differing ratios of indium to gallium are selected to produce emission wavelengths from the stacked active layers, such that said emission wavelengths combine to produce white light.

Claim 25

A quantum well light emitting diode comprising: a plurality of stacked active layers of indium gallium nitride, separated by barrier layers of aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride, wherein ratios of indium to gallium differ in at least two of said stacked active layers; wherein the differing ratios of indium to gallium are selected to produce emission wavelengths from the stacked active layers, such that said emission wavelengths combine to produce white light.

Claim 26

A light emitting diode according to claim 19 further comprising: means for biasing said light emitting diode so that said stacked active layers emit light.

Claim 27

A light emitting diode according to claim 19 further comprising: means for individually biasing at least one of said stacked active layers so that the at least one of said stacked active layers emit light at intensities or wavelengths which vary as a function of the individual bias on the at least one of the stacked active layers.

Claim 28

A light emitting diode according to claim 19 wherein said plurality of stacked active layers of indium gallium nitride, separated by barrier layers of aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride are on a substrate.

Claim 29

A light emitting diode according to claim 22 further comprising a buffer layer between said substrate and said plurality of stacked active layers of indium gallium nitride, separated by barrier layers of aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride.

Claim 30

A light emitting diode according to claim 23 further comprising a cladding layer between said substrate and said plurality of stacked active layers of indium gallium nitride, separated by barrier layers of aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride.

Claim 31

A quantum well light emitting diode comprising: a plurality of stacked active layers of indium gallium nitride, separated by barrier layers of aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride, wherein ratios of indium to gallium differ in at least two of said stacked active layers; wherein said plurality of stacked active layers of indium gallium nitride separated by barrier layers of aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride, define first and second outer barrier layers; and wherein one of the outer barrier layers is doped a first conductivity type and the other of said outer barrier layers is doped a second conductivity type.

Claim 32

A quantum well light emitting diode comprising: a plurality of stacked active layers of indium gallium nitride, separated by barrier layers of aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride, wherein ratios of indium to gallium differ in at least two of said stacked active layers; wherein said plurality of stacked active layers of indium gallium nitride separated by barrier layers of aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride, define first and second outer barrier layers; and wherein one of the outer barrier layers is doped a first conductivity type and the other of said outer barrier layers is doped a second conductivity type.

Claim 33

A quantum well light emitting diode comprising: a plurality of stacked active layers of indium gallium nitride, separated by barrier layers of aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride, wherein ratios of indium to gallium differ in at least two of said stacked active layers; wherein said plurality of stacked active layers of indium gallium nitride, separated by barrier layers of aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride are on a substrate; and wherein at least two of said plurality of stacked active layers of indium gallium nitride, separated by barrier layers of aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride, have decreasing ratios of indium to gallium from adjacent said substrate to opposite said substrate.

Claim 34

A quantum well light emitting diode comprising: a plurality of stacked active layers of indium gallium nitride, separated by barrier layers of aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride, wherein ratios of indium to gallium differ in at least two of said stacked active layers; wherein said plurality of stacked active layers of indium gallium nitride, separated by barrier layers of aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride are on a substrate; and wherein at least two of said plurality of stacked active layers of indium gallium nitride, separated by barrier layers of aluminum indium gallium nitride or aluminum gallium nitride, have decreasing ratios of indium to gallium from adjacent said substrate to opposite said substrate.