On the role of dislocation loops in silicon light emitting diodes

Abstract

The role of boron-induced dislocation loops on the suppression of the luminescence thermal quenching in silicon-based light-emitting diodes is investigated here. Luminescence measurements and cross-sectional transmission-electron-microscopy images from devices fabricated by boron implantation into crystalline silicon, and into a pre-amorphized substrate, to prevent the boron-induced loops formation, were compared. The results show that, in the devices incorporating dislocation loops between the depletion region and sample surface (the boron induced loops), the thermal quenching has been completely eliminated, in contrast with devices fabricated from the pre-amorphized substrate where strong thermal quenching is still observed. © 2005 American Institute of Physics.