The light extraction efficiency of a light-emitting element with microstructured surface is analyzed with a rigorous grating diffraction theory. The grating theory reveals an improvement of extraction efficiency due to diffraction of light by the surface microstructure. The simulation results show that the improvement of extraction efficiency is due mainly to the reflected diffraction rather than to the transmitted diffraction. A part of total-internal-reflection light is diffracted into directions at less than the critical angle. Extraction efficiency is improved by multiple reflection and diffraction of light in a high-refractive-index layer. We propose a simple design method for an efficient surface microstructure from the viewpoint of reflected diffraction.
© 2006 Optical Society of America
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