Low-operating-voltage 1.5-μm-electroluminescent device with an Er-doped silicon suboxide layer and electron injection from tin oxide

A new scheme for a silicon-oxide-based electroluminescent device is proposed and demonstrated. This scheme employs a thin Er-doped silicon suboxide active layer. Its low oxygen content and a tin-oxide electron injection layer have led to the realization of low voltage operation since they could reduce the potential barrier for tunneling electron injection. The threshold voltage for photoemission was reduced to 9V, which is much lower than previously reported threshold voltages. ► A low-operating-voltage silicon-oxide-based electroluminescent device is proposed and demonstrated. ► An Er-doped silicon suboxide with low oxygen content is employed as an active layer. ► A thin active layer and a tin-oxide electron injection layer are key issues for realizing low voltage operation.