US-based Ingantec announced that it has managed to deposit 5-micron red InGaN microLEDs, that demonstrate a peak EQE of over 20% at 620nm. The devices were fabricated on conventional c-plane epitaxial structures.
Ingantec's CEO and co-founder, Alan Yeung, presented these results at our MicroLED-Connect event last week in Eindhoven, demonstrating red InGaN emission near 620-625 nm, with peak EQE occurring at 4-5 A/cm², the current density at which the devices reach their reddest emission. The devices subsequently maintain high single-digit efficiency (5-8% EQE) at elevated current densities spanning 40-140 A/cm².
Ingantec says that it is demonstrating a combination of high efficiency, red emission, micron-scale dimensions, current-density robustness, and spectral control on a conventional c-plane InGaN platform - an important step toward making native red InGaN a practical foundation for monolithic RGB microdisplay architectures. We recently posted a spotlight article on Ingantec, a MicroLED Industry Association member.
Ingantec says that the new devices demonstrate an unusual combination of efficiency, wavelength behavior, and high-current-density robustness:
- 20+% Peak Efficiency: EQE exceeds 20% in 5-µm-class red InGaN microLEDs, with peak efficiency occurring near 4–5 A/cm² and emission near 625 nm.
- Controlled Spectral Shifts: The devices initially red-shift with increasing injection—reaching their reddest wavelength that coincides with peak EQE emission—before exhibiting controlled blue shifts across decades of current density.
- Useful Efficiency at High Injection: EQE remains in the 5–8% range over large portions of the 40–140 A/cm² regime, demonstrating the potential for high-brightness operations.
- 5-µm Pixel Scaling: Functional red InGaN microLEDs have been demonstrated, confirming device operations at dimensions relevant to ultra-high-pixel-density displays.
The optical results were obtained at UCSB using integrating-sphere measurements on planar InGaN devices, confirming true bulk efficiency.
The company recently obtained microLED patent licenses from Yale University, and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF). In 2024, Ingantec has entered into an exclusive patent licensing agreement with UCSB, acquiring the exclusive rights to patents that cover innovative systems and methods for achieving industry-leading devices using MOCVD as well as other growth and fabrication processes.
