Optical design of InGaN/GaN nanoLED arrays on a chip: toward highly resolved illumination

The physical laws of diraction limit the spatial resolution of optical systems. In contrary to most superresolution microscopy approaches used today, in our novel idea we are aiming to overcome this limit by developing a spatially resolved illumination source based on semiconductor nanoscale Light Emitting Diode (nanoLED) arrays with individual pixel control. We present and discuss the results of optical simulations performed for such nanoLED emitter arrays and analyze the theoretical limits of this approach. As possible designs we study arrays of GaN nanons and nanorods (obtained by etching nanon arrays), with InGaN/GaN multi quantum wells embedded as active regions. We nd that a suitable choice of the array dimensions leads to a reasonably directed light output and concentration of the optical power in the near eld around an activated pixel. As a consequence, the spatial resolution for this type of microscopy should only be limited by the pixel pitch, and no longer by the optical diraction. Realization of optimized nanoLED arrays has a potential to open new eld of chip based superresolution microscopy, making super-high spatial resolution ubiquitously available.