Excitation of a microdischarge with a reverse-biased pn junction

Excitation of cylindrical microdischarges, 300-360 mum in diameter, by a reverse-biased, Si pn junction has been demonstrated. Devices fabricated from commercial diodes have been operated with Ne gas pressures in the 200-700 Torr range and dc voltages as low as 120 V. For a Ne gas pressure of 700 Torr, the wavelength-integrated (300-800 nm) output power-emitted into a solid angle of similar to 6x10(-2) sr-of a 360-mum-diam device is 48 +/-1 muW for an operating current and voltage of 5.7 +/-0.1 mA and 134 V, respectively. This hybrid solid state/gas device represents the demonstration of the generation of a gas discharge by a pn junction and lends itself to the fabrication of large arrays. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.