High efficiency LEDs with tunnel junctions
First Claim
1. A high efficiency wide band gap semiconductor photonic device including a p-type confinement layer comprising:
- a first semiconductor layer having a first composition in metallic contact with and disposed between second and third semiconductor layers having compositions dissimilar to said first semiconductor layer, said second semiconductor layer being p-type, and said third semiconductor layer being n-type; and
a tunnel junction, having a tunnel width and a resistance to tunneling, formed from said second, first and third semiconductor layers, adapted to permit charge carriers in said second semiconductor layer to transition into charge carriers having an opposite polarity, wherein a natural dipole associated with said dissimilar materials is used to form said tunnel junction such that said width is smaller than a width in said tunnel junction would be in the absence of said first semiconductor layer, wherein said tunnel junction comprises an impurity located in said second and third semiconductor layers near said tunnel junction forming band gap states within said width.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An LED made from a wide band gap semiconductor material and having a low resistance p-type confinement layer with a tunnel junction in a wide band gap semiconductor device is disclosed. A dissimilar material is placed at the tunnel junction where the material generates a natural dipole. This natural dipole is used to form a junction having a tunnel width that is smaller than such a width would be without the dissimilar material. A low resistance p-type confinement layer having a tunnel junction in a wide band gap semiconductor device may be fabricated by generating a polarization charge in the junction of the confinement layer, and forming a tunnel width in the junction that is smaller than the width would be without the polarization charge. Tunneling through the tunnel junction in the confinement layer may be enhanced by the addition of impurities within the junction. These impurities may form band gap states in the junction.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A high efficiency wide band gap semiconductor photonic device including a p-type confinement layer comprising:
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a first semiconductor layer having a first composition in metallic contact with and disposed between second and third semiconductor layers having compositions dissimilar to said first semiconductor layer, said second semiconductor layer being p-type, and said third semiconductor layer being n-type; and a tunnel junction, having a tunnel width and a resistance to tunneling, formed from said second, first and third semiconductor layers, adapted to permit charge carriers in said second semiconductor layer to transition into charge carriers having an opposite polarity, wherein a natural dipole associated with said dissimilar materials is used to form said tunnel junction such that said width is smaller than a width in said tunnel junction would be in the absence of said first semiconductor layer, wherein said tunnel junction comprises an impurity located in said second and third semiconductor layers near said tunnel junction forming band gap states within said width. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A high efficiency wide band gap semiconductor photonic device including a p-type confinement layer comprising:
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a first semiconductor layer having a first composition in metallic contact with and disposed between second and third semiconductor layers having compositions dissimilar to said first semiconductor layer, said second semiconductor layer being p-type, and said third semiconductor layer being n-type; a tunnel junction, having a tunnel width and a resistance to tunneling, formed from said second, first and third semiconductor layers, adapted to permit charge carriers in said second semiconductor layer to transition into charge carriers having an opposite polarity, wherein a natural dipole associated with said dissimilar materials is used to form said tunnel junction such that said width is smaller than a width in said tunnel junction would be in the absence of said first semiconductor layer, wherein said tunnel junction comprises an impurity located in said second and third semiconductor layers near said tunnel junction forming band gap states within said width; and a plurality of energetically distinct impurities located in said second and third semiconductor layers near said tunnel junction forming a plurality of band gap states that provide a quasi-continuous tunneling path within said width. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification