Light emission from gallium arsenide (GaAs) p–n junctions biased in avalanche breakdown have been modeled over the range of 1.4–3.4 eV. The model emphasizes direct and indirect recombination processes and bulk self-absorption. Comparisons between measured and simulated spectra for sample junctions from custom and commercially fabricated GaAs devices demonstrate that the model is simple, accurate, and consistent with fundamental physical device theory. The model also predicts the junction depth with accuracy.

1.
L.
Selmi
,
M.
Mastrapaqua
,
D.
Boulin
,
J. D.
Bude
,
M.
Pavesi
,
E.
Sangiorgi
, and
M. R.
Pinto
,
IEEE Trans. Electron Devices
45
,
802
(
1998
).
2.
H.
Niwa
,
Y.
Ohno
,
S.
Kishimoto
,
K.
Maezawa
,
T.
Mizutani
,
H.
Yamazaki
, and
T.
Taniguchi
,
Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., Part 1
38
,
1363
(
1999
).
3.
G.
Meneghesso
,
T.
Grave
,
M.
Manfredi
,
M.
Pavesi
,
C.
Canali
, and
E.
Zanoni
,
IEEE Trans. Electron Devices
47
,
2
(
2000
).
4.
K.
Onodera
,
K.
Nishimura
, and
T.
Furta
,
IEEE Trans. Electron Devices
46
,
2170
(
1999
).
5.
R.
Gaddi
,
G.
Meneghesso
,
M.
Pavesi
,
M.
Peroni
,
C.
Canali
, and
E.
Zanoni
,
IEEE Electron Device Lett.
20
,
372
(
1999
).
6.
H.
Sasaki
,
M.
Abe
,
T.
Fujioka
,
K.
Hayashi
,
K.
Mizuguchi
,
B.
Yea
,
T.
Osaki
,
K.
Sugahara
, and
R.
Konishi
,
Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., Part 1
37
,
455
(
1998
).
7.
H.
Sasaki
,
K.
Hayashi
,
T.
Fujioka
,
K.
Mizuguchi
,
B.
Yea
,
T.
Osaki
,
K.
Sugahara
, and
R.
Konishi
,
Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., Part 1
37
,
4301
(
1998
).
8.
A. L.
Lacaita
,
F.
Zappa
,
Ś.
Bigliari
, and
M.
Manfredi
,
IEEE Trans. Electron Devices
40
,
577
(
1993
).
9.
R.
Newman
,
Phys. Rev.
100
,
700
(
1955
).
10.
P. A.
Wolff
,
J. Phys. Chem. Solids
16
,
184
(
1960
).
11.
J.
Shewchun
and
L. Y.
Wei
,
Solid-State Electron.
8
,
485
(
1965
).
12.
M.
Herzog
and
F.
Koch
,
Appl. Phys. Lett.
53
,
2620
(
1988
).
13.
A. T.
Obeidat
,
Z.
Kalayjian
,
A. G.
Andreou
, and
J. B.
Khurgin
,
Appl. Phys. Lett.
70
,
470
(
1997
).
14.
J.
Bude
,
N.
Sano
, and
A.
Yoshi
,
Phys. Rev. B
45
,
5848
(
1992
).
15.
S.
Yamada
and
M.
Kitao
,
Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., Part 1
32
,
4555
(
1993
).
16.
N.
Akil
,
S. E.
Kerns
,
D. V.
Kerns
, Jr.
,
A.
Hoffmann
, and
J. P.
Charles
,
IEEE Trans. Electron Devices
46
,
1022
(
1999
).
17.
M.
Lahbabi
,
A.
Ahaitouf
,
M.
Fliyou
,
E.
Abarkan
,
A.
Hoffman
,
J. P.
Charles
,
S. E.
Kerns
, and
D. V.
Kerns
, Jr.
,
Appl. Phys. Lett.
77
,
3182
(
2001
).
18.
W.
Haecker
,
Phys. Status Solidi A
25
,
301
(
1974
).
19.
A. G.
Chynoweth
and
K. G.
McKay
,
Phys. Rev.
102
,
369
(
1956
).
20.
S. M. Sze, Physics of Semiconductor Devices, 2nd ed. (Wiley, New York, 1981), p. 13.
21.
D. E.
Aspnes
and
A. A.
Studna
,
Phys. Rev. B
27
,
985
(
1983
).
This content is only available via PDF.
You do not currently have access to this content.