Light-emitting transistor
Form of transistor that emits light
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A light-emitting transistor or LET is a form of transistor that emits light. Higher efficiency than light-emitting diode (LED) is possible.[citation needed]
Nick Holonyak
| Working principle | Electroluminescence |
|---|---|
| Inventor | Milton Feng Nick Holonyak |
History
Reported in the January 5, 2004 issue of the journal Applied Physics Letters, Milton Feng and Nick Holonyak,[1] the inventor of the first practical light-emitting diode (LED) and the first semiconductor laser to operate in the visible spectrum, made the world's first light-emitting transistor. This hybrid device, fabricated by Feng's graduate student Walid Hafez, had one electrical input and two outputs (electrical output and optical output) and operated at a frequency of 1 MHz. The device was made of indium gallium phosphide, indium gallium arsenide, and gallium arsenide, and emitted infrared photons from the base layer.[2][3]
Organic LET
An organic light-emitting transistor (OLET) is a form of transistor that emits light. These transistors have potential for digital displays and on-chip optical interconnects.[4] OLET is a new light-emission concept, providing planar light sources that can be easily integrated in substrates like silicon, glass, and paper using standard microelectronic techniques.[5]
OLETs differ from OLEDs in that an active matrix can be made entirely of OLETs, whereas OLEDs must be combined with switching elements such as TFTs.
