Light-emitting devices having a multiple quantum well (MQW) pin diode structure and methods of making and using the devices are provided. The devices are composed of multilayered semiconductor heterostructures. The devices include one or more interfacial layers of a material that allows current tunneling through lattice mismatched heterogeneous junctions at the interfaces between the intrinsic active region and the p-type and/or n-type doped charge injection layers.