Power and efficiency limits in single-mirror light emitting diodes with enhanced intensity

The principle of enhanced emission intensity in a single-mirror light emitting diode (LED) is demonstrated by placing an InGaAs multiquantum well active region in the antinode of the optical mode created by a nearby metallic mirror, thus enhancing emission along the optical axis by up to four times. Multiple-well LED structures exhibit enhanced efficiencies similar to that of a perfect isotropic emitter. The emission intensity of single-well LEDs is limited by band filling.