RESONANT-TUNNELING LIGHT-EMITTING-DIODES

Resonant tunnelling light-emitting diodes (RTLEDs) are p-i-n diodes co ntaining a double-barrier (or multi-barrier) resonant tunnelling struc ture in the intrinsic region of the diode. The simultaneous intraband tunnelling of electrons and heavy holes gives rise to injection electr oluminescence from the quantum well and from the two accumulation laye rs on either side of the resonant tunnelling structure. The fast trans ient phenomena in these structures give rise to a fast response of the optical output otherwise only found in semiconductor lasers. Importan t aspects of the bipolar diode like speed and charge dynamics will be discussed.