Broad-spectrum light emission from metal-insulator-silicon tunnel diodes

James G. Mihaychuk; Mike W. Denhoff; Scan P. McAlister; W. Ross McKinnon; Jean Lapointe; Albert Chin

doi:10.1117/12.586431

Broad-spectrum light emission from metal-insulator-silicon tunnel diodes

James G. Mihaychuk^*, Mike W. Denhoff, Scan P. McAlister, W. Ross McKinnon, Jean Lapointe, Albert Chin

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review

Abstract

We report broad-spectrum electroluminescence (EL) in metal-insulator- silicon (MIS) tunnel diodes. In addition to Si-band-edge EL near 1.1 eV, hot-electron EL in Si can span a detector-limited range from 0.7 eV to 2.6 eV (1780 nm to 480 nm). The maximum EL photon energy increases with forward-bias voltage. In one implementation, sub-micron-size sites for light emission appear during forward-bias stress. The number of sites is linear in the applied current, consistent with formation of an anti-fuse at each site following breakdown of the insulator. We compare the post-stress current-voltage data to the quantum-point-contact model. Results are presented for various p-type Si(100) MIS devices having thin (8 nm or less) insulating layers of SiO ₂, Al₂O₃, and HfO_xN_y. We also describe novel MIS devices in which electron-beam lithography of an 18-nm-thick SiO₂ insulator is used to define the EL sites.

Original language	English
Article number	05
Pages (from-to)	29-40
Number of pages	12
Journal	Progress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging - Proceedings of SPIE
Volume	5730
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.586431
State	Published - 2005
Event	Optoelectronic Integration on Silicon II - San Jose, CA, United States Duration: 25 Jan 2005 → 26 Jan 2005

Keywords

Electroluminescence
Silicon
Soft breakdown
Tunnel diode

Access to Document

10.1117/12.586431

Cite this

@article{06da168b83894d999a71a0206b96e36f,

title = "Broad-spectrum light emission from metal-insulator-silicon tunnel diodes",

abstract = "We report broad-spectrum electroluminescence (EL) in metal-insulator- silicon (MIS) tunnel diodes. In addition to Si-band-edge EL near 1.1 eV, hot-electron EL in Si can span a detector-limited range from 0.7 eV to 2.6 eV (1780 nm to 480 nm). The maximum EL photon energy increases with forward-bias voltage. In one implementation, sub-micron-size sites for light emission appear during forward-bias stress. The number of sites is linear in the applied current, consistent with formation of an anti-fuse at each site following breakdown of the insulator. We compare the post-stress current-voltage data to the quantum-point-contact model. Results are presented for various p-type Si(100) MIS devices having thin (8 nm or less) insulating layers of SiO 2, Al2O3, and HfOxNy. We also describe novel MIS devices in which electron-beam lithography of an 18-nm-thick SiO2 insulator is used to define the EL sites.",

keywords = "Electroluminescence, Silicon, Soft breakdown, Tunnel diode",

author = "Mihaychuk, {James G.} and Denhoff, {Mike W.} and McAlister, {Scan P.} and McKinnon, {W. Ross} and Jean Lapointe and Albert Chin",

year = "2005",

doi = "10.1117/12.586431",

language = "English",

volume = "5730",

pages = "29--40",

journal = "Progress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging - Proceedings of SPIE",

issn = "1605-7422",

publisher = "SPIE",

note = "Optoelectronic Integration on Silicon II ; Conference date: 25-01-2005 Through 26-01-2005",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Broad-spectrum light emission from metal-insulator-silicon tunnel diodes

AU - Mihaychuk, James G.

AU - Denhoff, Mike W.

AU - McAlister, Scan P.

AU - McKinnon, W. Ross

AU - Lapointe, Jean

AU - Chin, Albert

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - We report broad-spectrum electroluminescence (EL) in metal-insulator- silicon (MIS) tunnel diodes. In addition to Si-band-edge EL near 1.1 eV, hot-electron EL in Si can span a detector-limited range from 0.7 eV to 2.6 eV (1780 nm to 480 nm). The maximum EL photon energy increases with forward-bias voltage. In one implementation, sub-micron-size sites for light emission appear during forward-bias stress. The number of sites is linear in the applied current, consistent with formation of an anti-fuse at each site following breakdown of the insulator. We compare the post-stress current-voltage data to the quantum-point-contact model. Results are presented for various p-type Si(100) MIS devices having thin (8 nm or less) insulating layers of SiO 2, Al2O3, and HfOxNy. We also describe novel MIS devices in which electron-beam lithography of an 18-nm-thick SiO2 insulator is used to define the EL sites.

AB - We report broad-spectrum electroluminescence (EL) in metal-insulator- silicon (MIS) tunnel diodes. In addition to Si-band-edge EL near 1.1 eV, hot-electron EL in Si can span a detector-limited range from 0.7 eV to 2.6 eV (1780 nm to 480 nm). The maximum EL photon energy increases with forward-bias voltage. In one implementation, sub-micron-size sites for light emission appear during forward-bias stress. The number of sites is linear in the applied current, consistent with formation of an anti-fuse at each site following breakdown of the insulator. We compare the post-stress current-voltage data to the quantum-point-contact model. Results are presented for various p-type Si(100) MIS devices having thin (8 nm or less) insulating layers of SiO 2, Al2O3, and HfOxNy. We also describe novel MIS devices in which electron-beam lithography of an 18-nm-thick SiO2 insulator is used to define the EL sites.

KW - Electroluminescence

KW - Silicon

KW - Soft breakdown

KW - Tunnel diode

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=21844478249&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1117/12.586431

DO - 10.1117/12.586431

M3 - Conference article

AN - SCOPUS:21844478249

SN - 1605-7422

VL - 5730

SP - 29

EP - 40

JO - Progress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging - Proceedings of SPIE

JF - Progress in Biomedical Optics and Imaging - Proceedings of SPIE

M1 - 05

T2 - Optoelectronic Integration on Silicon II

Y2 - 25 January 2005 through 26 January 2005

ER -

Broad-spectrum light emission from metal-insulator-silicon tunnel diodes

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this