Current Driving Er-Doped Electroluminescence Devices With Long-Term Reliability

An Erbium doped light emitting device char-acterized with long-term reliability has been realized. The devices are based on npn heterojunction structure which are composed of n+-Si/p-Si/Er-doped n-ZnO. The electrolu-minescence intensity of Er3+ ions has a well linear relation with operating currents. Meanwhile, the Er3+ ions electro-luminescence device with a 3 V onset voltage can keep on operating for more than 1200 hours, attributed to the separation of supply and acceleration of electrons which excite Er3+ ions. Electrons originated from the former n+p junction diffuse through p-Si layer, then they are acceler-ated in the following space charge region of the latter pn junction to collide with Er3+ ions in ZnO layer. Moreover, the npn heterojunction device structure is also applicable to other rare earths such as Tm, Eu, etc. This strategy will pave a way to electroluminescence of rare earths, and also provide a monolithic silicon light source to integrated silicon photonics.

Automated summary

A long-term reliable Erbium doped light emitting device based on npn heterojunction structure has been developed. The device demonstrates a linear relation between the electroluminescence intensity of Er3+ ions and the operating currents. The device with a 3V onset voltage can operate for over 1200 hours due to the separation and acceleration of electrons that excite Er3+ ions. This npn heterojunction device structure can also be applied to other rare earths like Tm, Eu, etc., which opens up possibilities for electroluminescence of rare earths and integrated silicon photonics.