El nitruro de galio y sus aleaciones: ¡y se hizo la luz… azul!

Abstract

The study of blue light emitting semiconductor devices has been a topic of transcendental importance since the point of view of science as well as technology. In the present paper special attention is paid to the scientific and technological development of light emitting diodes and laser diodes based on the gallium nitride technology. The principal properties of gallium nitride and two of its alloys, indium-gallium nitride and aluminum-gallium nitride are qualitatively presented. An introduction to the new sources of light based on the light emitting semiconductor devices allows a brief historical review of the researches, the developments and the innovations carried out by Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura. Such scientific and technological works gave as results the design, fabrication and commercialization of blue light emitting diodes and blue laser diodes. Finally, an analysis of the economical, social and environmental importance of the blue emitting devices based on gallium nitride technology is done.