Electrical characteristics of Al/ZnS/p-p+ Si diodes

Abstract
The electrical characteristics of Al/ZnS/p‐Si diodes have been investigated. The behavior is shown to be very similar to that of the tin oxide /ZnS/pn+ diodes used previously for electroluminescent diodes indicating that current through the ZnS is limited by the rate of generation of minority carriers in the p‐Si. The fact that the current is limited is the surest indication that no breakdown is occurring either in the ZnS or the silicon. These results are discussed, both in the context of device manufacture and in the context of a recent theory of breakdown in electroluminescent diodes.