Light-emitting device

• US 8,330,141 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2011
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hiroshima University
• Original Assignee: Hiroshima University
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Shin, Amemiya, Yoshiteru
• Primary Examiner(s): Soward, Ida M
• Application Number:
  US13/237,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20120007043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 257/13, 257/17, 257/23, 257/25, 257/79, 257/E29.071, 257/E33.001, 257/E33.062, 257/E33.063, 257/9, 257/14, 977/774, 977/773
• US Class Current: 257/13
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/06 within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/08 with a plurality of light emitting regions, e.g. laterally discontinuous light emitting layer or photoluminescent region integrated within the semiconductor body H01L27/15 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/26 Materials of the light emitting region
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/962 Quantum dots and lines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/72 On an electrically conducting, semi-conducting, or semi-insulating substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/721 On a silicon substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/774 Exhibiting three-dimensional carrier confinement, e.g. quantum dots

Abstract

A light-emitting device includes an n-type silicon thin film (2), a silicon thin film (3), and a p-type silicon thin film (4). The silicon thin film (3) is formed on the n-type silicon thin film (2) and the p-type silicon thin film (4) is formed on the silicon thin film (3). The n-type silicon thin film (2), the silicon thin film (3), and the p-type silicon thin film (4) form a pin junction. The n-type silicon thin film (2) includes a plurality of quantum dots (21) composed of n-type Si. The silicon thin film (3) includes a plurality of quantum dots (31) composed of p-type Si. The p-type silicon thin film (4) includes a plurality of quantum dots (41) composed of p-type Si. Electrons are injected from the n-type silicon thin film (2) side and holes are injected from the p-type silicon thin film (4) side, whereby light is emitted at a silicon nitride film (3).

Claims

1. A light-emitting device comprising:

a first conductive member including a first insulating layer in which a first tunneling current flows;

a second conductive member including a second insulating layer in which a second tunneling current flows, the second conductive member being disposed on the first conductive member; and

a third conductive member including a third insulating layer in which a third tunneling current flows, the third conductive member being disposed on the second conductive member and having a higher barrier energy against electrons than the second conductive member.

2. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first insulating layer includes SiO₂, the second insulating layer includes Si₃N₄, and the third insulating layer includes SiO_xN_(4/3-2x/3), where 0<

x<

2.

3. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first insulating layer includes GeO₂, the second insulating layer includes Ge₃N₄, and the third insulating layer includes GeO_xN_(4/3-2x/3), where 0<

x<

2.

4. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive member includes a plurality of first insulating layers in which the first tunneling current flows, the second conductive member includes a plurality of second insulating layers in which the second tunneling current flows, and the third conductive member includes a plurality of third insulating layers in which the third tunneling current flows.

5. The light-emitting device according to claim 4, wherein the first conductive member includes at least one first quantum dot disposed between two of the plurality of first insulating layers, the second conductive member includes at least one second quantum dot disposed between two of the plurality of second insulating layers, and the third conductive member includes at least one third quantum dot disposed between two of the plurality of third insulating layers.

6. The light-emitting device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one first quantum dot includes an n-type quantum dot and the at least one third quantum dot includes a p-type quantum dot.

7. The light-emitting device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one first, second, and third quantum dots include silicon.

8. The light-emitting device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one first, second, and third quantum dots include germanium.

9. The light-emitting device according to claim 4, wherein the first conductive member includes at least one first conducting layer disposed between two of the plurality of first insulating layers, the second conductive member includes at least one second conducting layer disposed between two of the plurality of second insulating layers, and the third conductive member includes at least one third conducting layer disposed between two of the plurality of third insulating layers.

10. The light-emitting device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one first conducting layer includes silicon.

11. The light-emitting device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one first conducting layer includes germanium.

12. A light-emitting device comprising:

first and second insulating layers;

a light-emitting layer disposed between the first and second insulating layers, the light-emitting layer including a quantum dot;

a first conductive member supplying an electron to the light-emitting layer; and

a second conductive member supplying a hole to the light-emitting layer,

wherein the first conductive member is composed of a silicon oxide film containing a larger amount of silicon than SiO₂.

13. The light-emitting device according to claim 12, wherein the quantum dot comprises silicon.

14. A light-emitting device comprising:

first and second insulating layers;

a light-emitting layer disposed between the first and second insulating layers, the light-emitting layer including a quantum dot;

a first conductive member supplying an electron to the light-emitting layer; and

a second conductive member supplying a hole to the light-emitting layer,

wherein the first conductive member is composed of a germanium oxide film containing a larger amount of germanium than GeO₂.

15. The light-emitting device according to claim 14, wherein the quantum dot comprises germanium.