Mechanisms of visible electroluminescence in diode structures on the basis of porous silicon: A review

Resumo

The main mechanisms of the visible electroluminescence (EL) of porous silicon are reviewed. Characteristics of photoluminescence and EL of diode structures based on porous silicon are compared. Metals having a smaller value of the electron work function (3.6 eV, Mg) than do Al and Au are proposed as the material for making contacts in such diode structures to increase the efficiency of their EL in the visible region of the spectrum. The main problems and prospects of light-emitting devices based on porous silicon are formulated.