Applied Physics Letters · 2010 · 102 citations · 22 references
EngineeringMaterials EngineeringMaterials ScienceOptoelectronicsSemiconductor DevicesSemiconductor MaterialsLight-emitting DiodesLuminescent MaterialsOptical SourcesOptoelectronic DevicesOptoelectronic MaterialsSemiconductor PhysicsElectrical Transport PropertiesElectroluminescenceExcitation Cross SectionsInfrared Light-emitting DiodesLight-emitting DevicesPumpingSiliconSilicon Nitride
Electrical devices based on Erbium (Er) doping of silicon nitride have been fabricated by reactive cosputtering and intense, room temperature Er electroluminescence was observed in the visible (527, 550, and 660 nm) and near-infrared (980 and 1535 nm) spectral ranges at low injection voltages (<5 V EL turn on). The electrical transport mechanism in these devices was investigated and the excitation cross section for the 1535 nm Er emission was measured under electrical pumping, resulting in a value (1.2×10−15 cm2) comparable to optical pumping. These results indicate that Er-doped silicon nitride has a large potential for the engineering of light sources compatible with Si technology.
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