Photon emission from avalanche breakdown in the collector junction of GaAs/AlGaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors

J. Chen, G. B. Gao, D. Huang, J. I. Chyi, M. S. Ünlü, H. Morkoç

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

The base-collector junction of GaAs/AlGaAs single heterojunction bipolar transistors has been observed to emit light at avalanche breakdown. The spectral distribution curve exhibits broad peaks at 2.03 and 1.43 eV, with the intensities dependent upon the reverse current. These observations suggest that electrons, excited to the upper conduction band by the field, lose their energy by impact ionizing electron-hole pairs and producing the 2.03 eV light, which corresponds to the threshold energy for electron impact ionization. The band-edge emission is the result of direct-gap free-carrier recombination and self-absorption of the high-energy transition.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)374-376
Number of pages3
JournalApplied Physics Letters
Volume55
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1989

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