Visible light-emitting devices with Schottky contacts on an ultrathin amorphous silicon layer containing silicon nanocrystals

We have fabricated light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with Schottky contacts on a single ultrathin amorphous silicon (Si) layer containing Si nanocrystals formed by simple techniques as used for standard Si devices. Orange electroluminescence (EL) from these LEDs could be seen with the naked eye at room temperature when a reverse bias voltage was applied. The EL spectrum has a major peak with a photon energy of 1.9 eV and a minor peak with a photon energy of 2.2 eV. The operation voltage is reduced to 4.0-4.5 V, which is low enough to be applied to a standard Si transistor. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)00802-5].