Controlled electroluminescence spectra of porous silicon diodes with a vertical optical cavity

it is demonstrated that a porous silicon (PS) optical cavity is available for the electroluminescence (EL) PS diode configuration. The PS diode is composed of a thin Au film, a light-emitting PS layer, a multilayered PS mirror, ap-type Si substrate, and an ohmic contact. When a sufficient bins voltage is applied to the diode, a uniform visible light emission is observed through the top contact. The EL intensity is fairly proportional to the driving current over a wide range of operation. The bandwidth of the EL spectrum is significantly reduced in comparison to that of the conventional PS diodes, owing to a resonance effect induced between the Au film and the multilayered PS mirror. These results suggest that the PS technology is a promising process for applications in monolithic integrated optoelectronics. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.