This study suggested comprehensive structural characterization methods for the commercial blue light emitting diodes(LEDs). By using the Z-contrast intensity profile of Cs-corrected high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscope(HAADF-STEM) images from a commercial lateral GaN-based blue light emitting diode, we obtained important structural information on the epilayer structure of the LED, which would have beendifficult to obtain by conventional analysis. This method was simple but very powerful to obtain structural and chemical information on epi-structures in a nanometer-scale resolution. One of the examples was that we could determine whether the barrier in the multi-quantum well(MQW) was GaN or InGaN. Plan-view TEM observations were performed from the commercial blue LED to characterize the threading dislocations(TDs) and the related V-pit defects. Each TD observed in the region with the total LED epilayer structure including the MQW showed V-pit defects for almost of TDs independent of the TD types: edge-, screw-, mixed TDs. The total TD density from the region with the total LED epilayer structure including the MQW was about 3.6 × 108 cm−2 with a relative ratio of Edge- : Screw- :Mixed-TD portion as 80%: 7%: 13%. However, in the mesa etched region without the MQW total TD density was about 2.5 × 108 cm−2 with a relative ratio of Edge- : Screw- :Mixed TD portion of 86%: 5%: 9 %. The higher TD density in the total LED epilayer structure implied new generation of TDs mostly from the MQW region.

The objective of this study was to characterize the bactericidal effect of 461nm visible-light LED on three common foodborne bacteria: Escherichia coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Tests were conducted against pathogen strains that were treated with 461nm LED for 10 h at 15°C. The E. coli (ATCC 43894, ATCC 8739 and ATCC 35150) and the S. aureus (ATCC 27664, ATCC 19095 and ATCC 43300) had average reductions of 2.5, 6.6, 1.5, 2.5 and 2.0 log CFU/mL, respectively, after they were exposed for 10 h to 461nm LED light (p<0.05). In contrast, V. parahaemolyticus (ATCC 43969) had 6 log CFU/mL reductions after it was exposed for 4 h to 461nm LED light. The results showed that both the Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were inactivated with 461nm LED light exposure. Also, the Gram-negative bacteria were more sensitive to the LED treatment than the Gram-positive bacteria. These results show the potential use of 461nm LED as a food preservation and application technology.