Patent ID: 7915679

Claim:
A light-emitting device, comprising: a multi-layer stack of materials including a light-generating region and a first layer supported by the light-generating region, wherein: a surface of the first layer is configured so that light generated by the light-generating region can emerge from the light-emitting device via the surface of the first layer; and the surface has a dielectric function that varies spatially according to a nonperiodic pattern that is configured to increase light extraction from the device via the surface, the nonperiodic pattern is created by the configuration of a plurality of holes, wherein the holes are not encircled by other holes, wherein when viewed in a direction in which the holes extend from the surface into the first layer, the non-periodic pattern has no translational symmetry along the surface over a unit cell that has a length that is at least 50 times the peak wavelength of light generated by the light-generating region.