Growth and characterization of a novel low-voltage-tunneling electroluminescent device

A new electroluminescent device concept is proposed to achieve low-voltage operation. The device is based on a lattice-matched semiconductor/insulator/luminescent layer/insulator/semiconductor structure in which, under bias, high-energy electrons are injected from the semiconductor into the electroluminescent layer. Details of the chemical-beam epitaxy/molecular-beam epitaxy (CBE/MBE) growth procedures for each of the layers required for this device structure are presented. Theoretical models were developed to simulate the device band diagrams and the tunneling process. Preliminary results indicate good agreement between the model and actual device operations in threshold voltage and I-V behaviors.