PATTERNED LIGHT EMITTING DEVICES
Light-emitting devices, and related components, systems and methods are disclosed. A light-emitting device can include a multi-layer stack of materials that includes a light-generating region and a first layer supported by the light-generating region. During use of the light-emitting device, light generated by the light-generating region can emerge from the light-emitting device via a surface of the first layer. The surface of the first layer can have a dielectric function that varies spatially as a pattern and at least about 45% of a total amount of light generated by the light-generating region can emerge from the light-emitting device emerges via the surface of the light-emitting device.
1 . A light-emitting device, comprising:
a multi-layer stack of materials including a light-generating region and a first layer supported by the light-generating region so that, during use of the light-emitting device, light generated by the light-generating region can emerge from the light-emitting device via a surface of the first layer,
wherein the surface of the first layer has a dielectric function that varies spatially as a pattern, and at least about 45% of a total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges via the surface of the light-emitting device.
2 . The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein at least about 50% of the total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges via the surface of the light-emitting device.
3 . The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein at least about 60% of the total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges via the surface of the light-emitting device.
4 . The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein at least about 70% of the total amount of light generated by the light-generating region that emerges from the light-emitting device emerges via the surface of the light-emitting device.
5 . The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the multi-layer stack of materials comprises a multi-layer stack of semiconductor materials.
6 . The light-emitting device of claim 5 , wherein the first layer comprises a layer of n-doped semiconductor material, and the multi-layer stack further comprises a layer of p-doped semiconductor material.
7 . The light-emitting device of claim 6 , wherein the light-generating region is between the layer of n-doped semiconductor material and the layer of p-doped semiconductor material.
8 . The light-emitting device of claim 1 , further comprising a support that supports the multi-layer stack of materials.
9 . The light-emitting device of claim 8 , further comprising a layer of reflective material that is capable of reflecting at least about 50% of light generated by the light-generating region that impinges on the layer of reflective material, the layer of reflective material being between the support and the multi-layer stack of materials.
10 . The light-emitting device of claim 9 , wherein the first layer comprises an n-doped material, the multi-layer stack of materials further includes a layer of p-doped material, and a distance between the layer of p-doped semiconductor material and the layer of reflective material is less than a distance between the layer of n-doped semiconductor material and the layer of reflective material.
11 . The light-emitting device of claim 10 , further comprising a p-ohmic contact layer between the layer of p-doped material and the layer of reflective material.
12 . The light-emitting device of claim 1 , further including a current-spreading layer between the first layer and the light-generating region.
13 . The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the multi-layer stack of materials comprise semiconductor materials.
14 . The light-emitting device of claim 13 , wherein the semiconductor materials are selected from the group consisting of III-V semiconductor materials, organic semiconductor materials and silicon.
15 . The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the pattern does not extend into the light-generating region.
16 . The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the pattern does not extend beyond the first layer.
17 . The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the pattern extends beyond the first layer.
18 . The light-emitting device of claim 1 , further comprising electrical contacts configured to inject current into the light-emitting device.
19 . The light-emitting device of claim 18 , wherein the electrical contacts are configured to vertically inject electrical current into the light-emitting device.
20 . The light-emitting device of claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting device is selected from the group consisting of light-emitting diodes, lasers, optical amplifiers, and combinations thereof.
21 - 58 . (canceled)