Gallium phosphide high-temperature electroluminescent p-n-p-n switches and controlled rectifiers

Electroluminescent gallium phosphide p-n-p-n switches (dynistors) and controlled rectifiers (thyristors) which are operable in the temperature range 0 ≤ T ≤ 500°C have been fabricated by diffusion of Zn into GaP n-p-n structures grown by liquid-phase epitaxy. Gallium phosphide thyristor forward and reverse blocking voltages as large as 280 and 80 V, respectively, have been observed. These thyristors can be switched to the low-impedance state by the application of < 5 A/cm2 gate current and exhibit holding current densities of ≈ 15 A/cm2 at a forward voltage of 2.2 V. Forward blocking voltages as large as 380 V at room temperature and 310 V at 415°C have been observed for GaP dynistors. When forward biased into the low-impedance state, these devices operate as high-brightness light emitters with room-temperature emission in the green portion of the spectrum.