Enhancement of Gamma-Ray Tolerance in Forward-Biased AlGaAs and GaInAsP Light-Emitting Diodes

Abstract

Bias dependence of light output degradation cuased by gamma-ray irradiation has been investigated for AlGaAs and GaInAsP LEDs. When the device is forward-biased during irradiation, the light output degradation is reduced for both AlGaAs and GaInAsP LEDs. Isochronal and current annealings carried out after exposure to a gamma-ray dose of 108 rad(Si) reveal that this reduction in degradation is attributable to annealing enhanced by carrier injection.