Electroluminescence from amorphous-silicon-based switching devices

Abstract

Information about the nature of formed switching structures in amorphous hydrogenated silicon has been found from features of the electroluminescence (EL) spectrum. Several small peaks have been detected in the region of 1.8 to 2.4 eV, on the shoulder of the usual a-Si : H peak at 1.32 eV. The intensity of the latter is found to depend on the voltage across the film rather than the current. The EL fine structure can be explained in terms of a model of the switching where there are small metal-rich inclusions in the film. The apparent dependence of EL intensity on voltage is explained in terms of this model with parallel current paths in the structure.