Electroluminescent display with space charge removal

A solid state display device comprising:

• a p type semiconductor substrate having a first face;
• an electroluminescent layer on said first face, said p type semiconductor substrate accelerating carriers towards said first face upon application of a bias voltage thereto, such that some of the accelerated carriers are injected into said electroluminescent layer and some of the accelerated carriers form a space charge region at said first face adjacent said electroluminescent layer;
• and
• an n type region in said p type semiconductor substrate at said first face, said n type region forming a p-n junction with said p type semiconductor substrate, said p-n junction including a depletion zone thereat, said n type region being sufficiently close to said electroluminescent layer such that said depletion zone electrically contacts said space charge region, and removes carriers from the space charge region through said n type region.

A solid state display device comprising:

• an n type semiconductor substrate having a first face;
• an electroluminescent layer on said first face;
• and
• a p type region in said n type semiconductor substrate at said first face, said p type region forming a p-n junction with said n type semiconductor substrate, said p-n junction including a depletion zone thereat, said p type region being sufficiently close to said electroluminescent region such that said depletion zone electrically contacts said electroluminescent layer and injects carriers from said p type region into said electroluminescent layer upon application of a bias voltage between said p type region and said electroluminescent layer.

A solid state display device comprising:

• an electroluminescent layer having a first face;
• and
• a semiconductor substrate on said first face, said semiconductor substrate comprising:
• carrier producing means, for accelerating carriers towards said first face upon application of a bias voltage thereto, such that some of the accelerated carriers are injected into said electroluminescent layer to produce electroluminescence, and some of the accelerated carriers form a space charge barrier in said semiconductor substrate which limits injection of carriers into said electroluminescent layer:
• and
• space charge removing means, for continuously removing carriers from the space charge barrier to increase carrier injection into said electroluminescent layer.