Electroluminescence from NiSi 2 /Si/NiSi 2 nanowire heterostructures operated at high electric fields

The realization of an efficient, silicon‐based light source with nanoscale dimensions may be the missing link to overcome the physical limitations of electrical signaling. Therefore, the generation of hot‐carriers to increase the transition possibilities within the band structure has shown promising results to cope with the inefficient light emission of indirect semiconductors. Here, we present the electroluminescent properties of NiSi 2 /silicon/NiSi 2 nanowire heterostructures, operated at high electric fields. These hot carrier electroluminescent devices show highly reproducible, super‐ and sub‐bandgap emission of light, covering the visible spectrum and extending toward the near infrared regime. A pronounced peak, centered in the blue visible region at 2.6 eV is assigned to phonon‐assisted interband recombination of hot carriers. Spectral components at energies lower than 2.3 eV are linearly polarized along the nanowire axis and mainly attributed to intraband transitions.