Metasurface-Based Phosphor-Converted Micro-LED Architecture for Displays─Creating Guided Modes for Enhanced Directionality

Abstract

Phosphor-converted micro-light emitting diodes (micro-LEDs) are a crucial technology for display applications but face significant challenges in light extraction because of the high refractive index of the blue pump die chip. In this study, we design and experimentally demonstrate a nanophotonic approach that overcomes this issue, achieving up to a 3-fold increase in light extraction efficiency. Our approach involves engineering the local density of optical states (LDOS) to generate quasi-guided modes within the phosphor layer by strategically inserting a thin low-index spacer in combination with a metasurface for mode extraction. We demonstrate the trade-offs between blue light pumping, LDOS enhancement at the converted emission wavelength, and radiation pattern control using a stratified system solver for dipole emission. Experimentally, the integration of plasmonic antennas and a silica spacer resulted in a 3-fold overall brightness enhancement, with nearly a 4-fold increase in forward emission. This nanophotonic metasurface waveguide design is a critical advancement for producing bright, directional micro-LEDs, particularly in augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) devices and smartwatch displays, without the need for bulky secondary optics or reflectors.