A light emitting device made from thin zirconium-doped hafnium oxide high-k dielectric film with or without an embedded nanocrystal layer

A solid state light emitting device composed of the 10 nm thickness zirconium-doped hafnium oxide high-k gate dielectric with or without an embedded nanocrystalline ZnO layer has been fabricated and studied. The emission spectrum, which extended from visible light to IR, was broadened and the intensity was increased with the embedding of a nanocrystalline ZnO layer. The mechanisms of light emission and enhancement were investigated and explained with defect generation process in the film. This kind of device is easily prepared by the IC compatible process. There are many potential applications of this kind of device. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4789531]