Current status of the technology of silicon carbide as a light conversion medium for nitride LEDs

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are semiconductor devices that emit light in a narrow-band spectrum with wavelengths ranging from the infrared to the ultraviolet. This paper will look at current state of the art of the fabrication and doping techniques of silicon carbide (SiC) as a light conversion material for nitride LEDs. SiC has a wide bandgap and high thermal conductivity. When properly doped, SiC also exhibits photoluminescence behaviour. Due to these properties, SiC has been touted as a possible replacement material for phosphors in nitride LEDs. Phosphors have a short lifetime and contain rare earths which are very expensive. LEDs made with phosphors have a poor colour rendering index and have a short degradation time. In order to overcome these shortcomings, the technology of producing SiC as a light conversion material has to be perfected so as to make it a viable alternative to phosphors.