Light emitting device

• US 4,920,387 A
• Filed: 09/13/1989
• Issued: 04/24/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sano, Masafumi, Tsuda, Hisanori, Takasu, Katsuji, Hirai, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/406,182
• Time in Patent Office: 223 Days
• Field of Search: 357/2, 357/4, 357/17, 357/58, 357/59
• US Class Current: 257/13
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0012 p-i-n devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0058 comprising amorphous semiconductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/18 within the light emitting region
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/145 Arrangements of the electroluminescent material

Abstract

A light emitting device includes a luminescent layer having at least two layers comprising non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms laminated and having a homo-junction, and at least a pair of electrodes connected electrically to the luminescent layer, the non-single crystalline silicon layer having an optical band gap of 2.0 eV or higher and a localized level density at mid-gap of 10¹⁶ cm^-3.eV^-1 or less.

Claims

1. A light emitting device comprising:

a luminescent portion having at least two laminated layers comprising non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms and having a homo-junction; and

at least a pair of electrodes connected electrically to said luminescent portion, and wherein each non-single crystalline silicon layer has an optical band gap of at least 2.0 eV and a localized level density at mid-gap no greater than 10¹⁶ cm^-3.eV^-1.

2. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said at least two laminated layers comprise a P-type conductive layer and an N-type conductive layer.

3. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said at least two laminated layers comprise a P-type conductive layer;

a layer containing no P-type or N-type impurities; and

an N-type conductive layer.

4. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein said at least two laminated layers comprise:

a P-type conductive layer;

an I-type conductive layer; and

an N-type conductive layer.

5. A light emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the quantum efficiency of the luminescent layer is at least 10^-4 %.

6. A light emitting device comprising:

a luminescent layer comprising non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms;

a pair of electrically insulating layers having said luminescent layer sandwiched therebetween; and

at least a pair of electrodes electrically connected to said luminescent layer and insulating layers and having said luminescent layer and insulating layers sandwiched therebetween, said luminescent layer having an optical band gap of at least 2.0 eV and a localized level density at mid-gap no greater than 10¹⁶ cm^-3.eV^-1.

7. A light emitting device comprising:

a luminescent portion comprising;

a P-type conductive layer;

a semiconductive intermediate layer; and

an N-type conductive layer; and

at least a pair of electrodes electrically connected to said luminescent portion, wherein at least one of said layers has a multi-layer structure includes a plurality of first layer regions comprising non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms and a plurality of second layer regions having a different optical band gap from said plurality of first layer regions, and wherein said first and second layer regions are laminated alternatively as one unit.

8. A light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein said first layer region has I-type conductive characteristics.

9. A light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein P-type and N-type impurities are absent from said first layer region.

10. A light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein said second layer region has an optical band gap greater than that of the first layer region.

11. A light emitting device according to claim 7, wherein the quantum efficiency of the luminescent layer is at least 10^-4 %.

12. A light emitting device comprising:

a pair of electrically insulating layers;

a luminescent layer sandwiched between said pair of electrically insulating layers; and

at least a pair of electrodes electrically connected to said luminescent layer and insulating layers and having said luminescent layer and said insulating layers sandwiched therebetween, wherein said luminescent layer has a multi-layer structure including a plurality of first layer regions comprising non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms and a plurality of second layer regions having a different optical band gap from said plurality of first layer regions, and wherein said first and second layer regions are laminated alternatively as one unit.

13. A light emitting device according to claim 12, wherein the optical band gap of said first layer region is at least 2.0 eV.

14. A light device according to claim 12, wherein the localized level density at mid gap of said first layer region is no more than 10¹⁶ cm^-3.eV^-1.

15. A light emitting device comprising:

a luminescent portion comprising a plurality of layer structures each comprising a plurality of layers laminated in the following order;

an N-type conductive layer;

a first semiconductive intermediate layer;

a P-type conductive layer; and

a second semiconductive intermediate layer; and

at least a pair of electrodes connected electrically to said luminescent portion, wherein said luminescent portion is composed of non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms and having an optical band gap of at least 2.0 eV.

16. A light emitting device according to claim 15, wherein said first semiconductive intermediate layer and said second semiconductive intermediate layer have I-type conductive characteristics.

17. A light emitting device according to claim 15, wherein P-type and N-type impurities are absent from said first semiconductive intermediate layer and said second semiconductive intermediate layer.

18. A light emitting device according to claim 15, wherein said luminescent portion comprises a plurality of said layer structures.

19. A light emitting device according to claim 15, wherein the quantum efficiency of the luminescent layer is at least 10^-4 %.

20. A light emitting device according to claim 15, wherein one of said first and second semiconductive intermediate layers has I-type conductive characteristics.

21. A light emitting device according to claim 15, wherein P-type and N-type impurities are absent from one of said first and second intermediate layers.

22. A light emitting device comprising:

a luminescent layer comprising non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms;

an electrically insulating layer superposed on said luminescent layer; and

at least a pair of electrodes electrically connected to said luminescent layer and insulating layer and having said luminescent layer and said insulating layer sandwiched therebetween, said luminescent layer having an optical band gap of at least 2.0 eV and a localized level density at mid-gap no greater than 10¹⁶ cm^-3.eV^-1.

23. A light emitting device comprising:

a luminescent layer;

an electrically insulating layer superposed on said luminescent layer; and

at least a pair of electrodes electrically connected to said luminescent layer and insulating layer and having said luminescent layer and said insulating layer sandwiched therebetween, wherein said luminescent layer includes a multi-layer structure having a plurality of first layer regions comprising non-single crystalline silicon containing hydrogen atoms and a plurality of second layer regions having a different optical band gap from said plurality of first layer regions, wherein said first and second layer regions are laminated alternatively as one unit.

24. A light emitting device according to claim 23, wherein the optical band gap of said first layer regions is at least 2.0 eV.

25. A light emitting device according to claim 23, wherein the localized level density at mid gap of said first layer region is at least 10¹⁶ cm^-3.eV^-1.