ENHANCED ELECTROOPTIC MODULATION BY INTEGRATION OF NONRADIATIVE CENTERS IN A RESONANT-TUNNELING LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE

We create a reservoir of hole traps in a resonant tunneling light emit ting diode by etching the p-type contact into an array of nanometer sc ale pillars. In the off state, the charge reservoir keeps the light ou tput extremely low? even at relatively high currents. The device can b e switched on to produce light by raising the electron emitter past a confined electron state allowing holes to escape from the nonradiative region. The resulting electro-optic switch has an on/off ratio of at least 1000:1, a large improvement over conventional resonant tunneling light emitting diodes. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.