Junction Temperature Measurements and Thermal Modeling of GaInN/GaN Quantum Well Light-Emitting Diodes

We present a junction temperature analysis of GaInN/GaN quantum well (QW) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) grown on sapphire and bulk GaN substrate by micro-Raman spectroscopy. The temperature was measured up to a drive current of 250 mA (357 A/cm 2 ). We find better cooling efficiency in dies grown on GaN substrates with a thermal resistance of 75 K/W. For dies on sapphire substrates we find values as high as 425 K/W. Poor thermal performance in the latter is attributed to the low thermal conductivity of the sapphire. Three-dimensional finite-element simulations show good agreement with the experimental results, validating our thermal model for the design of better cooled structures.