Dislocation engineered silicon light emitting devices

The influence of boron-induced dislocation loops on the luminescence efficiency of silicon-based light-emitting diodes is investigated. Luminescence measurements and transmission-electron-microscopy images from devices fabricated by boron implantation into crystalline silicon, and subsequently processed under different conditions to form dislocation loops of different size and densities, were compared. Light emitting devices were also fabricated in an otherwise identical but a pre-amorphized substrate, to prevent boron-induced loop formation. The results demonstrate a strong correlation between the dislocation loop density and areal coverage, and the light emission efficiency. The devices produced in the pre-amorphized substrate, without dislocation loops, show strongly quenched light emission.