High-Efficiency Zn-Diffused GaAs Electroluminescent Diodes

Electroluminescent GaAs diodes have been fabricated in heavily doped (n > 1018 cm−3) GaAs using ZnAs2 or a Zn–Ga solution as a diffusion source. Using the Zn–Ga source, efficiencies of 1.3–1.4% for planar uncoated devices and 3.2–3.5% with an Epoxy lens are reproducibly obtained, and uncoated devices with efficiencies as high as 1.7% have been observed. A variety of GaAs crystals were evaluated in order to determine the type most suitable for the fabrication of diffused electroluminescent diodes. The optimum material was found to be Si‐doped GaAs with n in the range (2–3) × 1018 cm−3. Both Czochralski and boat‐grown GaAs were investigated. The device efficiency has been found to depend strongly on the etch‐pit density of the crystal, with maximum efficiencies obtained for boat‐grown GaAs with Δ < 103 cm−2. A series of zero dislocation crystals grown using the Czochralski technique was investigated and found to yield lower efficiency devices than boat‐grown GaAs with an etch‐pit density between 102 and 103 cm−2.

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