Researchers Set Quantum Well Micro-LED Optical Switching Record

People's Daily reported that researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Notre Dame set a world record for quantum well light-emitting diode optical switching performance. Their gallium nitride quantum well micro-LED reached an optical modulation bandwidth of 2.75 gigahertz with a power consumption of only 25 milliwatts, published in IEEE Electron Device Letters. The research team systematically investigated the effect of device size on switching speed and power consumption by fabricating micro-LEDs ranging in diameter from 100 micrometers to 2 micrometers. Across factors such as bandwidth, power consumption, and impedance matching, the 5-micrometer device performed best, achieving an optical modulation bandwidth of 2.75 gigahertz that reflects its optical switching speed under electrical signals. The newly developed 5-micrometer quantum well micro-LED features high bandwidth, stable optical power, low energy consumption, and scalable materials, with the potential to improve communication link speeds and efficiency in data centers. According to the research team, achieving high performance requires identifying material defects that cause losses and thoroughly modeling properties before manufacturing. Their work establishes a technical path for miniaturizing optical communication LEDs, and the 5-micrometer diameter creates possibilities for building compact two-dimensional emitter arrays where each emitter carries an independent data stream.