Mechanism of erbium electroluminescence in hydrogenated amorphous silicon

The mechanism of the electroluminescence of erbium under a reverse bias in structures based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon is studied. Erbium ions are excited through an Auger process, in which conduction electrons are tra pped by neutral dangling bonds (D-0 centers) located near the erbium ions. A stationary current through the structure is sustained by a reverse proces s involving the thermally stimulated tunneling emission of electrons by neg atively charged dangling-bond defects (D- centers) into the conduction band of the amorphous matrix. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-78 26(99)00906-0].