Direct evidence of the self-compression of injected electron-hole plasma in silicon

TL;DR

This paper provides direct experimental evidence that injected electron-hole plasma in silicon self-compresses into localized high-density regions, explaining the formation of bright plasma drops in silicon p-n light-emitting diodes.

Contribution

It presents the first direct surface observation of plasma self-compression in silicon, revealing how injected carriers concentrate into bright plasma drops.

Findings

Surface electroluminescence shows bright dots indicating plasma self-compression

Injected carriers concentrate into localized plasma drops

Self-compression explains high-intensity emission spots in silicon diodes

Abstract

A surface distribution of the electroluminescence intensity of silicon p-n light emitting diodes is obtained under space scanning experiments at room temperature. An emitting surface of the diodes, represented by a few small bright emitting dots and a weakly emitting area outside the dots, serves as a direct evidence of the self-compression of injected electron-hole plasma in silicon. The plasma self-compression explains concentration of injected carriers into one or a few strongly emitting plasma drops.