An LED for silicon-based integrated optoelectronics

Summary form only given. Efficient and fast Si-based light-emitting devices (LEDs) integrated into VLSI architecture are desirable for digital optical displays and optical interconnects. The basic requirements include device stability and voltage levels sufficient for IC operation with the primary contingency of total compatibility with standard microelectronic processing. Crystalline silicon is an inefficient light-emitting material due to its indirect band structure. Of all the approaches proposed so far to correct this deficiency, only porous silicon (PSi) prepared by anodic etching exhibits high-efficiency room temperature photoluminescence. However, it cannot be integrated in conventional Si process technology because PSi cannot survive standard processing steps. In this work we show that Si-rich silicon-oxide (SRSO) prepared by oxidation of PSi has appropriate light-emitting and carrier transport properties and is compatible with conventional processing techniques. The preparation procedure, device design and characterization are discussed in detail.