A mechanism of charge transport in electroluminescent structures consisting of porous silicon and single-crystal silicon

Journal Article · Wed Feb 15 04:00:00 EST 2006 · Semiconductors

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063782606020126· OSTI ID:21088594

Kaganovich, E B; Manoilov, E G; Semenenko, N A ^[1]

---

1. National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Lashkarev Institute of Semiconductor Physics (Ukraine)

Electroluminescent structures that emit in the visible region of the spectrum and are based on porous silicon (por-Si) formed on the p-Si substrate electrolytically using an internal current source are fabricated. The photoluminescent and electroluminescent properties, as well as the current-and capacitance-voltage characteristics of the structures are studied. Electroluminescence is observed only if the forward bias voltage is applied to the structure; the electroluminescence mechanism is based on the injection and is related to the radiative recombination of electrons and holes in quantum-dimensional Si nanocrystals. The injection of holes is controlled by the condition of their accumulation in the space-charge region of p-Si and by a comparatively low concentration of electronic states at the por-Si/p-Si interface. The charge transport in por-Si is caused by the direct tunneling of charge carriers between the quantum-mechanical levels, which is ensured by an appreciable number of quantum-dimensional Si nanocrystals. The leakage currents are low as a result of a small variance in the sizes of Si nanocrystals and the absence of comparatively large nanocrystals.

• OSTI ID: 21088594
• Journal Information: Semiconductors, Journal Name: Semiconductors Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 40; ISSN SMICES; ISSN 1063-7826
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CHARGE CARRIERS
CHARGE TRANSPORT
ELECTROLUMINESCENCE
ELECTRONS
HOLES
MONOCRYSTALS
NANOSTRUCTURES
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
POROUS MATERIALS
QUANTUM MECHANICS
SILICON
SPACE CHARGE
TUNNEL EFFECT