Semiconductor light emitting device utilising punch-through effects

摘要

A light emitting device (10) comprises a body (12) of a semiconductor material. A first junction region (14) is formed in the body between a first region (12.1) of the body of a first doping kind and a second region (12.2) of the body of a second doping kind. A second junction region (16) is formed in the body between the second region (12.2) of the body and a third region (12.3) of the body of the first doping kind. A terminal arrangement (18) is connected to the body for, in use, reverse biasing the first junction region (14) into a breakdown mode and for forward biasing at least part (16.1) of the second junction region (16), to inject carriers towards the first junction region (14). The device (10) is configured so that a first depletion region (20) associated with the reverse biased first junction region (14) punches through to a second depletion region associated with the forward biased second junction region (16).

主权项

1. A light emitting device comprising:
a body of an indirect bandgap semiconductor material;
a first junction region in the body formed between a first region of the body of a first doping kind and a second region of the body of a second doping kind; anda second junction region in the body formed between the second region of the body and a third region of the body of the first doping kind; a terminal arrangement connected to the body that applies a voltage that reverse biases the first junction region into a breakdown mode and that forward biases at least part of the second junction region; the device being configured so that a first depletion region associated with the reverse biased first junction region punches through the second region to a second depletion region associated with the at least part of the second junction region, an energy barrier at the at least part of the forward biased second junction region that is lowered by the first depletion region punching through the second region to the second depletion region, and carriers of a first kind injected into the first junction region from the at least part of the second junction region with the lowered energy barrier to interact with higher energy carriers of a second kind within the first depletion region to thereby enhance light generation in the first depletion region, thereby improving electroluminescence effects in the device.