Metal based nanowire tunnel junctions
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of Michigan
InventorsZetian Mi, Sharif Sadaf, Yong-Ho Ra, Thomas Szkopek
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Abstract
Semiconductor light emitting diodes (LEDs) formed as (Al)GaN-based nanowire structures have a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and a thin metallic layer fabricated therebetween. The structures, operating in the deep ultraviolet (UV) spectral range, exhibit high photoluminescence efficiency at room temperature. The structures may be formed of an epitaxial metal tunnel junction operating as a reflector that enhances carrier transport to and from the semiconductor alloy layers, capable of producing external quantum efficiencies at least one order of magnitude higher than convention devices.
Claims15
A semiconductor emitter comprising:
- a tunnel junction comprising a metallic layer disposed between a first semiconductor alloy and a second semiconductor alloy;
- wherein the metallic layer also acts as a reflector within the semiconductor emitter.
A semiconductor device comprising a tunnel junction comprising a first semiconductor alloy of a first composition, and a layer of a metal of a second composition.
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a plurality of semiconductor layers, each semiconductor layer of the plurality of semiconductor layers having a composition;
- and
- a plurality of metallic layers, each metallic layer of the plurality of metallic layers comprising a metal and disposed between a pair of semiconductor layers of the plurality of semiconductor layers.
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a substrate;
- a metallic layer disposed on a surface of the substrate;
- a plurality of nanowires grown at locations on the substrate, the locations defined by openings within the metallic layer, wherein the metallic layer acts an optical reflector for the semiconductor device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.