Light emission characteristics and negative resistance phenomenon of Si-based metalrinsulatorrsemiconductor tunnel junction

We have fabricated the AurSiO2rSi MetalrInsulatorrSemiconductor tunnel junctions MISJ.using heavily Sb-doped Si wafers and an SiO2 insulating layer. Stable, uniform, broadband 500–900 nm.light emission was observed from the MISJ with an emission efficiency of 10y5, which is one to two orders of magnitude higher than that of an AurAl2O3rAl junction. The light emission spectrum has main peaks at 620 2.00 eV.and 735 nm 1.69 eV.. A negative resistance phenomenon NRP.in the I–V curve, possibly due to surface plasmon polariton SPP.scattering on the tunneling electrons, is closely associated with light emission. The MISJ is compatible with Si microelectronic technology and can be used for new kinds of integrated optoelectronic and photonic devices. q2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved