Room-temperature electroluminescence of a Si-based p-i-n diode with β-FeSi2 particles embedded in the intrinsic silicon

A Si-based p-i-n light emitting diode for 1.6 µm operation at room temperature has been realized, with beta-FeSi2 particles embedded in the unintentionally doped Si prepared by reactive deposition epitaxy. Room-temperature electroluminescence (EL) at 1.6 µm was observed with the diode under a forward bias current density of about 2.0 A/cm2 and its intensity increased linearly with the current density. The temperature dependence of EL showed that luminescence was due to interband transitions in the beta-FeSi2 particles and the loss of electron confinement at p-p beta-FeSi2/Si heterojunctions follows a thermally activated process with activation energy of about 0.198 eV, the conduction band offset at beta-FeSi2/Si heterojunction