Abstract of the Disclosure

A field effect electroluminscent device comprised of (1) a semiconductor body having a portion with a single conductivity type, (2) means for producing in the layer a region depleted of majority carriers including an insulated field effect electrode on the semiconductor, (3) a majority-carrier injector, and (4) a minority-carrier injector on the semiconductor. In the method, a region of the semiconductor body is depleted of majority carriers. Then, majority carriers are injected into an undepleted region of the semiconductor via the majority carrier injector, and minority carriers are injected directly into the depleted region of the semiconductor via the minority carrier injector, which is located within the depletion region. When the density of injected minority carriers is sufficiently large, the conductivity type of the depleted region becomes inverted and a p-n junction is created in the semiconductor. Recombination of electron-hole pairs in the vicinity of this junction results in the emission of light.

• Figure 1a is a sectional view of a novel electro-luminescent device embodying the invention including a schematic diagram of a circuit for operating the device.
• Figure 1b is a top plan view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

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