Pulsed Electroluminescence in a Dopant-free Gateable Semiconductor

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel pulsed electroluminescence phenomenon in dopant-free semiconductors, demonstrating stable, high-mobility emission controlled by gate voltage, with a developed model explaining carrier dynamics.

Contribution

It reports the first stable pulsed electroluminescence in dopant-free semiconductors and provides a model for carrier recombination dynamics under gate control.

Findings

Higher mobilities lead to larger emission areas.

Stable emission observed over long durations.

Frequency response explained by carrier dynamics model.

Abstract

We report on a stable form of pulsed electroluminescence in a dopant-free direct bandgap semiconductor heterostructure which we coin the tidal effect. Swapping an inducing gate voltage in an ambipolar field effect transistor allows incoming and outgoing carriers of opposite charge to meet and recombine radiatively. We develop a model to explain the carrier dynamics that underpins the frequency response of the pulsed electroluminescence intensity. Higher mobilities enable larger active emission areas than previous reports, as well as stable emission over long timescales.