Full length articlePerformance comparison of polarized white light emitting diodes using wire-grid polarizers with polymeric and glass substrates

- Performance of wire-grid polarizer with glass and polymeric substrate was compared.
- Polarized white light emitting diode (PWLED) has better angular color uniformity.
- PWLEDs with wire grid polarizer have better current-dependent color stability.
- Linewidth, period and material are critical for PWLEDs with wire grid polarizers.

Polarized white light emitting diodes (WLEDs) packaged with reflective metal wire-grid polarizer of polymeric and glass substrates were investigated. The performance comparison of polymeric wire-grid polarizer film (WGF) and nano wire-grid polarizer (NWGP) with glass substrate was evaluated. The transverse electric field (TE) polarization transmittance of WGF is less than that of NWGP due to its smaller grid parameters. Despite of the higher duty cycle of WGF, the angular-dependent extinction ratio (ER) of the polarized WLEDs (PWLEDs) with WGF is higher than that of with NWGP. Regarding increasing drive currents, the PWLEDs with NWGP had better color stability than that with WGF due to better substrate thermal stability. In summary, linewidth, period and substrate material are the crucial factors for the PWLED packaging using wire grid polarizer.