Electrically induced light emission and novel photocurrent response of a porous silicon device

Abstract

An electrically induced visible light emitting porous silicon (PS) device was fabricated by laterally anodizing an n-type single-crystal silicon (Si) wafer. Al/PS Schottky junctions exhibited rectifying I-V characteristics with an ideality factor of 7. The intensity of current-induced light emission increased with applied electrical current. Novel photocurrent spectra of the device under different reverse biases were measured at room temperature and reported for the first time, which showed three peaks of light absorption pertinent to the quantized energy levels of the PS. Interpretation is given based on the quantum confinement model.