Si/SiGe/Si:Er:O light-emitting transistors prepared by differential molecular-beam epitaxy

Abstract

Si/SiGe/Si:Er:O heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) type light-emitting devices with Er3+ ions incorporated in the collector region have been fabricated using a layered structure grown by differential molecular-beam epitaxy. Electroluminescence measurements on processed light-emitting HBTs can be performed in either constant driving current mode or constant applied bias mode, which is an important advantage over conventional Si:Er light-emitting diodes. Intense room-temperature light emission at the Er3+ characteristic wavelength of 1.54 μm has been observed at low driving current density, e.g., 0.1 A cm−2, and low applied bias, e.g., 3 V, across the collector and emitter.