Electroluminescence Characteristics and Efficiency of GaAs:Si Diodes

Abstract

The peak wavelength, spectral half‐width, and efficiency of liquid‐phase epitaxial GaAs:Si diodes were determined as a function of silicon concentration in the melt. The peak of the emission spectrum could be shifted from about 9200 to 10 000 Å by varying the silicon concentration. For all wavelengths investigated, uncoated diodes with 6% efficiency could be made, with some going as high as 10%. External room‐temperature dc efficiencies up to 32% were measured on diodes provided with high‐index glass domes. The spectral half‐width was found to increase with silicon concentration, and was especially large for growth on the 111B plane. The internal absorption loss was found to be significant for all peak wavelengths. These findings are discussed in the light of current models of recombination processes in heavily doped semiconductors.