(100) DARK LINE DEFECT IN II-VI BLUE-GREEN LIGHT EMITTERS

We have carried out a microstructural study of the [100] dark line def ect that forms during degradation of II-VI blue-green light emitters. We find that these defects lie in or near the ZnCdSe quantum well and do not correspond to a readily observable dislocation network in trans mission electron microscopy studies. We speculate that they may consis t of point defects or small point defect complexes. We have also carri ed out estimates of point defect migration rates during device operati on that can give rise to such degradation.