Electrical breakdown and electroluminescence in tantalum pentoxide films

Abstract

The author investigated electric breakdown and electroluminescence at high field in Ta/sub 2/O/sub 5/ thin films obtained by anodizing Ta foils and films sputtered in an argon plasma. The electroluminescence manifests a strong dependence on electric field, but weak dependence on temperature. Electroluminescence in the high-field region near the breakdown is associated with electron avalanche by injected electrons from the electrode. The spectrum of the emitted light has a peak at 600 nm.<>