Hot carrier recombination model of visible electroluminescence from metal–oxide–silicon tunneling diodes

Abstract

We report the visible electroluminescence at room temperature from metal–oxide–silicon tunneling diodes. As biased in the Fowler–Nordheim regime, the electrons tunnel from the gate electrode through the ultrathin oxide and reach the Si anode with sufficiently high energy. The hot electrons cause the impact ionization, and generate the secondary hot electrons and hot holes in Si substrates. The visible light comes from the radiative recombination between the secondary hot electrons and hot holes, and the hot carrier recombination model can fit the visible electroluminescence spectra.