title: Monolithically Integrated Metal/Semiconductor Tunnel Junction Nanowire Light-Emitting Diodes.
abstract: We have demonstrated for the first time an n(++)-GaN/Al/p(++)-GaN backward diode, wherein an epitaxial Al layer serves as the tunnel junction. The resulting p-contact free InGaN/GaN nanowire light-emitting diodes (LEDs) exhibited a low turn-on voltage (∼2.9 V), reduced resistance, and enhanced power, compared to nanowire LEDs without the use of Al tunnel junction or with the incorporation of an n(++)-GaN/p(++)-GaN tunnel junction. This unique Al tunnel junction overcomes some of the critical issues related to conventional GaN-based tunnel junction designs, including stress relaxation, wide depletion region, and light absorption, and holds tremendous promise for realizing low-resistivity, high-brightness III-nitride nanowire LEDs in the visible and deep ultraviolet spectral range. Moreover, the demonstration of monolithic integration of metal and semiconductor nanowire heterojunctions provides a seamless platform for realizing a broad range of multifunctional nanoscale electronic and photonic devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill University 3480 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9, Canada.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sadaf
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill University 3480 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9, Canada.
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ra
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill University 3480 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9, Canada.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Szkopek
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill University 3480 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E9, Canada.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mi
keywords: GaN; Nanowire; light-emitting diode; molecular beam epitaxy; quantum dot; tunnel junction