Optoelectronic devices

摘要

Optoelectronic devices have a photoactive region containing semiconductor material doped with ions of a rare earth element. Characteristic transitions associated with internal energy states of the rare earth dopant ions are modified by direct interaction of those states with an energy state in the semiconductor band structure. Eu+ and Yb+ doped silicon LEDs and photodetectors are described. The LEDs are emissive of radiation in the wavelength range 1300 nm to 1600 nm, important in optical communications.

主权项

1. An optoelectronic device including a photoactive region containing semiconductor material doped with ions of a rare earth element such that, in operation, characteristic transitions associated with internal energy states of the dopant ions are modified by direct interaction of those internal energy states with an energy state from the conduction and/or valence band of the semiconductor material; and
a junction bounded by a p-type semiconductor region and/or a n-type semiconductor region, and wherein said photoactive region is situated in a said p-type or n-type region.