  We report direct evidence of enhanced spontaneous emission in a photonic
crystal (PhC) light-emitting diode. The device consists of p-i-n heterojunction
embedded in a suspended membrane, comprising a layer of self-assembled quantum
dots. Current is injected laterally from the periphery to the center of the
PhC. A well-isolated emission peak at 1300nm from the PhC cavity mode is
observed, and the enhancement of the spontaneous emission rate is clearly
evidenced by time-resolved electroluminescence measurements, showing that our
diode switches off in a time shorter than the bulk radiative and nonradiative
lifetimes
