Electroluminescence from Ge on Si substrate at room temperature

A Ge/Si heterojunction light emitting diode with a p(+)-Ge/i-Ge/N+-Si structure was fabricated using the ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition technology on N+-Si substrate. The device had a good I-V rectifying behavior. Under forward bias voltage ranging from 1.1 to 2.5 V, electroluminescence around 1565 nm was observed at room temperature. The mechanism of the light emission is discussed by the radiative lifetime and the scattering rate. The results indicate that germanium is a potential candidate for silicon-based light source material. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI 10.1063/1.3216577]

Major State Basic Research Program of China 2007CB613404 National High Technology Research and Development Program of China 2006AA03Z415 National Natural Science Foundation of China 60676005 This work was supported by the Major State Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2007CB613404) National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2006AA03Z415) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 60676005).