# US 8,541,791 B2 · Source of photons resulting from a recombination of localized excitons

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- Number: US 8,541,791 B2
- Document ID: US8541791B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/968,507
- Filed: 2010-12-15
- Published: 2011-08-25
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2009-12-15
- Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble) SAS; Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
- Applicants: Roch Espiau de Lamaestre; Jean-Jacques Greffet; Bernard Guillaumot; Ruben Esteban Llorente
- Inventors: Roch Espiau de Lamaestre; Jean-Jacques Greffet; Bernard Guillaumot; Ruben Esteban Llorente
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8541791B2

## CPC

- H10H 20/062: {Light-emitting semiconductor devices having field effect type light-emitting regions, e.g. light-emitting High-Electron Mobility Transistors}
- H10H 20/835: {Reflective materials}
- H10H 20/812: within the light-emitting regions, e.g. having quantum confinement structures
- H10H 20/862: {Resonant cavity structures (formed by reflecting means in the bodies H10H20/8142)}
- H10H: INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS

## Abstract

A source of photons resulting from a recombination of localized excitons, including a semiconductor layer having a central portion surrounded with heavily-doped regions; above said central portion, a layer portion containing elements capable of being activated by excitons, coated with a first metallization; and under the semiconductor layer, a second metallization of greater extension than the first metallization. The distance between the first and second metallizations is on the order of from 10 to 60 nm; and the lateral extension of the first metallization is on the order of from λ0/10*ne to λ0/2*ne, where λ0 is the wavelength in vacuum of the emitted light and ne is the effective refractive index of the mode formed in the cavity created by the two metallizations.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A source of photons resulting from a recombination of localized excitons, comprising:
a semiconductor layer having a central portion surrounded with heavily-doped regions;
above said central portion, a layer portion containing elements capable of being activated by excitons, coated with a first metallization; and
under the semiconductor layer, a second metallization of greater extension than the first metallization;
wherein:
the distance between the first and second metallizations is on the order of from 10 to 60 nm; and
the lateral extension of the first metallization is on the order of from λ0/10*ne to λ0/2*ne, where λ0 is the wavelength in vacuum of the emitted light and ne is the effective refractive index of the mode formed in the cavity created by the two metallizations.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The photon source of claim 1, wherein the lateral extension of the second metallization is on the order of from λ0/10*ne to 10*λ0/ne.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The photon source of claim 1, wherein the elements comprise quantum boxes.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The photon source of claim 3, wherein the quantum boxes are silicon nanocrystals.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The photon source of claim 4, wherein the lateral extension of the first metallization is on the order of from 50 to 300 nm.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The photon source of claim 1, wherein said central portion has a doping level lower than 1019 at./cm3 and is surrounded with more heavily-doped regions of opposite conductivity types.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The photon source of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor layer is a silicon layer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The photon source of claim 1, wherein the total thickness of the layers present between the two electrodes ranges from 10 to 30 nm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The photon source of claim 1, comprising:
first connection means connected to the second electrode and to the first and second heavily-doped regions; and
second connection means connected to the first electrode.