1.3-μm light-emitting diode from silicon electron irradiated at its damage threshold

Abstract

We report 77-K electroluminescence from an irradiated carbon-rich silicon diode that has an internal quantum efficiency more than 103 times higher than that of band-to-band recombination in an unirradiated, but otherwise identical diode. This is achieved by creating optically active Cs-SiI-Cs complexes with room-temperature electron bombardment at an energy between the displacement thresholds for single vacancy and divacancy formation. Under these irradiation conditions, it is possible to create a high concentration of radiative defects without gross degradation of the diode’s electrical characteristics. The technique could provide very large scale integration-compatible silicon light-emitting diodes for 1.3–1.6 μm all-silicon integrated optics.

First-principles investigation of visible light emission from silicon-based materials

“…Recent work has focused attention on the possibility of obtaining strong visible light emission from silicon-based materials [1,2]. Two mechanisms have been explored: quantum confinement and chemical modification.…”

Observation of a photoelectric effect due to interaction of laser radiation with metals and semiconductors

“…Current interest is focused on two problems: the metastability displayed by the optical centre producing the G band [l], and the possibilities of using the G band as a photon emitter in an all-silicon opto-electronic system [2]. As outlined below, a considerable amount is now known about this system.…”

Super-enhancement of 1.54 μm emission from erbium codoped with oxygen in silicon-on-insulator

“…Silicon photonics is seen as a key enabling technology for the realization of highly integrated photonic circuits but the development of efficient light sources in silicon represents a serious challenge due to its indirect band gap. Several approaches have been attempted to achieve light emission in silicon123456789101112131415161718192021, including the incorporation of rare earth elements that led to luminescence at wavelengths characteristic of the rare earth internal transitions2223242526272829. The rare earth Er, in particular, has been extensively studied due to its sharp luminescence at 1.54 μm, a wavelength corresponding to the absorption minimum in silica-based optical fibers.…”