Electroluminescence of thin film p-i-n diodes based on a-SiC:H with integrated Ge nanoparticles

Zdenek Remes, Jiri Stuchlik, The-ha Stuchlikova, Jaroslav Kupcik, Vincent Mortet, Andrew Taylor, Petr Ashcheulov, Vladimir Alekseevich Volodin, Jean-Paul Kleider, Erik Johnson, Rudolf Brüggemann
2019 European Physical Journal : Applied physics  
Hydrogenated amorphous substoichiometric silicon carbon alloys (a-SiC:H) with and without embedded Ge nanoparticles (NPs) have been prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition combined with in-situ Ge evaporation and annealing on semi-transparent boron doped nano-crystalline diamond coated Ti grids. The presence of Ge NPs embedded in the amorphous phase has been confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analyses. Current-voltage (I–V)
more » ... cteristics and near infrared electroluminescence (EL) spectra were measured to compare performance of diodes. The relatively strong EL appears in diodes with integrated Ge NPs near the direct band-gap transition of Ge at about 0.82 eV with an intensity strongly correlating with current density. However, it has also been found that Ge NPs integrated into a-SiC:H significantly deteriorates diode I–V characteristic.
doi:10.1051/epjap/2020190253 fatcat:3q3ve4jbxrfebjume45syqdwi4