Continuous visible-light emission at room temperature in Mn-doped GaAs and Si light-emitting diodes (Presentation Recording)

Abstract

We demonstrate visible-light electroluminescence due to d-d transitions in GaAs:Mn based light emitting diodes (LEDs) [1][2]. We prepared p+n junctions with a p+GaAs:Mn layer. At a reverse bias voltage (-3 to -6V), holes are injected from the n-type layer to the depletion layer and accelerated by the intense electric field, and excite the d electrons of Mn in the p+GaAs:Mn layer by impact excitations. We observe visible-light emission E1 = 1.89eV and E2 = 2.16eV, which are exactly the same as the 4T1 -> 6A1 and 4A2 -> 4 T1 transition energy of Mn. Furthermore, by utilizing optical transitions between the p-d hybridized orbitals of Mn atoms doped in Si, we demonstrate Si-based LEDs that continuously emit reddish-yellow visible light at room temperature. The Mn p-d hybrid states are excited by hot holes that are accelerated in the depletion layers of reverse biased Si pn junctions. Above a threshold reverse bias voltage of about -4V, our LEDs show strong visible light emission with two peaks at E1 = 1.75eV and E2 = 2.30eV, corresponding to optical transitions from the t-a (spin-down anti-bonding) states to the e- (spin-down non-bonding) states, and from the e- to the t+a (spin-up anti-bonding) states. The internal quantum efficiency of the E1 and E2 transitions is 3-4 orders of magnitude higher than that of the indirect band-gap transition [3]. [1] P. N. Hai, et al., APL 104, 122409 (2014). [2] P. N. Hai, et al., JAP 116, 113905 (2014). [3] P. N. Hai, et al., submitted.