STABLE ELECTROLUMINESCENCE FROM REVERSE-BIASED N-TYPE POROUS SILICON-ALUMINUM SCHOTTKY JUNCTION DEVICE

We report the realization of a bright and stable electroluminescent Sc hottky diode based on aluminum-porous silicon junction. White light, v isible in normal daylight, is emitted when a reverse bias is applied t o the device, promoting the junction breakdown. The device has a fast (100 ns) rise time of the light emission. An excellent stability, test ed over more than one month of continuous operation at a high bias lev el, is achieved by the complete encapsulation of the active porous sil icon under a transparent alumina layer. The external power efficiency of light emission is 0.01%. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.