Near-ultraviolet and near-infrared electroluminescence from an indium-tin-oxide film native Si oxide/p-Si structure

We have deposited indium-tin-oxide (ITO) films on p-Si (100) substrates with native Si oxide layers on their surfaces using the electron beam depositing technique. After the ITO/native Si oxide/p-Si structure was annealed in a N-2 ambient, electroluminescence spectra with two peaks at near-ultraviolet (similar to 360 nm) and near-infrared (similar to 820 nm) have been measured under a forward bias of 6 V or larger. The experimental results have been interpreted tentatively using the tunneling-luminescence center process. It is considered that the two electroluminescence peaks originate from two groups of luminescence centers in the native Si oxide layers. The luminescence centers responsible for the near-ultraviolet peak have been discussed. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)05125-6].