Hot-electron electroluminescence in GaAs transistors

The visible light emitted from GaAs-based transistors biased at high voltages has been studied and analysed. This hot-electron electroluminescence has been seen to offer a useful means for the study of high-field effects, device integrity, transport, real-space transfer and electron energy distributions. Examination of the lateral electroluminescence distribution reveals the electrical weak spots of a transistor and may indicate the presence of localized breakdown. Spectral measurements suggest that a number of mechanisms contribute to the visible light emission, including indirect intraband transitions and band-band recombination. A detailed study of the spectrum further allows analysis of the vertical carrier distribution, scattering direction and conduction electron temperature in a variety of transistor structures.