A Si‐based light‐emitting diode with room‐temperature electroluminescence at 1.1 eV

We have achieved room‐temperature electroluminescence (EL) at 1.1 eV from a light‐emitting diode with an active layer prepared by high‐temperature partial oxidation of electrochemically etched crystalline silicon. The EL is easily measurable under a forward bias ≥ 1 V and a current density <10 mA/cm2 and is only weakly temperature dependent from 12 to 300 K. The luminescence is due to Si band edge radiative recombination and originates from large silicon clusters within a nonstoichiometric silicon‐rich silicon oxide matrix.