Enhanced electroluminescence from silicon-based light-emitting devices with Mg0.4Zn0.6O/erbium-doped ZnO heterostructures by using ITO/MoO3 combined anode

• Published in: Applied surface science 2025-02, Vol.682, p.161782, Article 161782
• Main Authors: Xia, Chengtao, Ji, Ran, Jiang, Shuming, Zhu, Xiaodong, Tang, Anchen, Yang, Deren, Ma, Xiangyang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Electroluminescence; Erbium; Hole-injection; Light-emitting device; MoO3; ZnO
• ISSN: 0169-4332
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2024.161782

[Display omitted] •Electroluminescence from ZnO-based LED is enhanced by using ITO/MoO3 combined anode.•The MoO3 film thickness is crucial for the aforementioned enhanced EL.•The contact between ITO and MoO3 is verified to be ohmic in nature. We have realized the erbium (Er)-related visible and near-infrared (NIR) electroluminescence (EL) from the Mg0.4Zn0.6O/ZnO:Er/n+-Si heterostructured light-emitting device (LED) using the semi-transparent Au film as the anode, where the impact-excitation of Er3+ ions is enabled by hot holes that are generated in the Mg0.4Zn0.6O acceleration layer. However, it remains a challenge to simultaneously achieve more efficient injection of holes into Mg0.4Zn0.6O layer and stronger light emanation for the Mg0.4Zn0.6O/ZnO:Er/n+-Si heterostructured LED. Addressing this issue, we report on the substitution of an ITO/MoO3 combined anode for the Au anode in the aforementioned LED to enhance the EL. Through the optimization of MoO3 film thickness, the substitution of ITO/MoO3 combined anode for Au anode leads to the enhanced EL from the Mg0.4Zn0.6O/ZnO:Er/n+-Si heterostructured LED with a factor of more than 5 in the visible region and with a factor of more than 13 in the NIR region. The higher transmittances and larger refraction indices in both visible and NIR regions and the better hole-injection capability of the ITO/MoO3 combined anode, with respect to those of Au anode, are responsible for the significantly enhanced EL as mentioned above. This work sheds light on the application of ITO/MoO3 combined anode into all-inorganic LEDs.