A simple approach to the simulation of impact excitation of erbium in silicon light-emitting diodes
A simple numerical model for the impact excitation of erbium ions by hot carriers in reverse-biased erbium-doped silicon light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is proposed. The model involves the difference in Er3+ excitation efficiencies by hot electrons and holes. Comparative analysis of the Er3+ excitation efficiencies in LEDs with different electric field profiles in the space charge region of the diodes is performed. The estimations show that Er3+ electroluminescence intensity and excitation efficiency may be essentially increased (up to an order of magnitude compared to the widely studied p+/n-Si:Er LEDs) in the tunnelling transit-time p+/n+/n−-Si:Er diodes.