Wavelength converters, including polarization-enhanced carrier capture converters, for solid state lighting devices, and associated systems and methods

摘要

Wavelength converters, including polarization-enhanced carrier capture converters, for solid state lighting devices, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A solid state radiative semiconductor structure in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a first region having a first value of a material characteristic and being positioned to receive radiation at a first wavelength. The structure can further include a second region positioned adjacent to the first region to emit radiation at a second wavelength different than the first wavelength. The second region has a second value of the material characteristic that is different than the first value, with the first and second values of the characteristic forming a potential gradient to drive electrons, holes, or both electrons and holes in the radiative structure from the first region to the second region. In a further particular embodiment, the material characteristic includes material polarization. Accordingly, the first region has a first material polarization value and the second region has a second material polarization value different than the first material polarization value, with the differences between the first and second material polarization values forming an electric field at an interface between the first and second regions.

主权项

1. A method for forming a radiative system, comprising:
selecting a first material to have a first material polarization and to absorb incident light emitted from a light source at a first wavelength, wherein the first material has a stronger absorption than emission at the first wavelength, and wherein the incident light optically generates carriers in the first material; selecting a second material to have a second material polarization different than the first material polarization and to emit light at a second wavelength greater than the first wavelength, wherein the second material absorbs the incident light and has a stronger emission than absorption at the second wavelength; and disposing the first and second materials adjacent to each other to form an interface, wherein at least one of selecting the first material and the second material includes selecting at least one of the first and the second material polarizations to produce an electric field at the interface that drives electrons, holes, or both electrons and holes of the optically generated carriers from the first material to the second material such that they radiatively recombine at the second material to output an emission at the second wavelength.