Terahertz electroluminescence under conditions of shallow acceptor breakdown in germanium

Abstract

The spectrum of spontaneous terahertz electroluminescence was obtained near the breakdown threshold of a shallow acceptor (Ga) in germanium. The emission spectra were recorded by the Fourier spectroscopy method at a temperature of ∼5.5–5.6 K. The emission spectrum exhibits narrow lines with maxima at ∼1.99 THz (8.2 meV) and ∼2.36 THz (9.7 meV), corresponding to the optical transitions of nonequilibrium holes from the excited impurity states to the ground state of impurity center. A broad line with a maximum at ∼3.15 THz (13 meV) corresponding to the hole transitions from the valence band to the impurity ground state is also seen in the spectrum. The contribution of the hole transitions from the states of the valence band increases upon an increase in the electric-field strength. Simultaneously, the optical transitions of nonequilibrium holes between the subbands of the valence band appear in the emission spectrum. The integral terahertz-emission power is ∼17 nW per 1 W of the input power.