Comparison of electrical parameters of Zn/p-Si and Sn/p-Si Schottky barrier diodes

In this study, current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics of metal-semiconductor (MS) Zn/p-Si and Sn/p-Si Schottky diodes, with high resistivity silicon structures, are investigated. The parameters of series resistance (R_S), the ideality factor (n) and the barrier height (Φ_b) are determined by performing different plots from the forward bias current-voltage (I-V) and reverse bias capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics. Thus, the barrier heights (Φ_b) for the Si Schottky diodes obtained between 0.725 and 1.051 eV, the ideality factor (n) between 1.043 and 1.309, and the series resistance (R_S) between 12.594 and 12.950 kΩ. The energy distribution of interface states density was determined from the forward bias I-V characteristics by taking into account the bias dependence of the effective barrier height. It was concluded that the density of interface states in the considered energy range are in close agreement with each other values obtained for Zn/p-Si and Sn/p-Si Schottky diodes.     

Electrical properties of metal-GaAs Schottky barriers

Schottky barrier contacts have been fabricated by vacuum evaporation of thin films of six different metals (Mg, In, Al, Au, Bi and Sb) onto chemically cleaned n-type GaAs substrates. Bi and Sb contacts on GaAs have been reported for the first time. The contacts were examined for their C-V and I-V characteristics. The diodes exhibit near ideal characteristics for all the metals with values of the ideality factor n ranging from 1.06 to 1.1. The values of the barrier height obtained from C-V measurements could be brought into agreement with those obtained from I-V measurements only when the ideality factor was also included in the expression of the saturation current. By employing the most recent and reliable values of metal work function φ_M, the dependence of barrier height on φ_M has been investigated and an estimate of the surface state density and the Fermi level at the GaAs surface has been made. The surface state density obtained from this analysis is significantly larger than that reported by previous workers.     

Inhomogeneities in 130 MeV Au ion irradiated Au/n-Si (1 0 0) Schottky structure

The electrical characteristics of Au/n-Si (1 0 0) Schottky rectifier have been studied in a wide irradiation fluence range using conventional current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements. The I-V characteristics showed an abnormal increase in forward current at low voltage. The device shows a bend in forward I-V and reverses bias C-V characteristics due to extra current, suggesting that there are two independent contributions to thermionic current, corresponding to two levels of the Schottky barrier. It is shown that the excess current at low voltage can be explained by taking into account the role of heavy ion irradiation induced defects at the metal semiconductor interface.     

Correlation between barrier heights and ideality factors of Cd/n-Si and Cd/p-Si Schottky barrier diodes

Our goal is to experimentally investigate whether or not the effective Schottky barrier heights (SBHs) and ideality factors obtained from the current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics differ from diode to diode even if the samples were identically prepared. For this purpose, we prepared Cd/n-Si (33 dots) and Cd/p-Si (15 dots) diodes. The SBH for the Cd/n-Si diodes ranged from 0.701 to 0.605 eV, and ideality factor n from 1.913 to 1.213. Φ_b value for the Cd/p-Si diodes ranged from 0.688 to 0.730 eV, and ideality factor n value from 1.473 to 1.040. The experimental SBH distributions obtained from the C⁻²-V and I-V characteristics were fitted by a Gaussian function and their mean SBH values were calculated. Furthermore, the laterally homogeneous barrier heights were also computed from the extrapolation of the linear plot of experimental barrier heights versus ideality factors.     

The effect of interface states, excess capacitance and series resistance in the Al/SiO2/p-Si Schottky diodes

The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of Al/SiO₂/p-Si metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) Schottky diodes were measured at room temperature. In addition the capacitance-voltage (C-V) and conductance-voltage (G-V) measurements are studied at frequency range of 10 kHz-1 MHz. The higher value of ideality factor of 3.25 was attributed to the presence of an interfacial insulator layer between metal and semiconductor and the high density of interface states localized at Si/SiO₂ interface. The density of interface states (N_ss) distribution profile as a function of (E_ss − E_v) was extracted from the forward bias I-V measurements by taking into account the bias dependence of the effective barrier height (Φ_e) at room temperature for the Schottky diode on the order of ≅4 × 10¹³ eV⁻¹ cm⁻²_. These high values of N_ss were responsible for the non-ideal behaviour of I-V and C-V characteristics. Frequency dispersion in C-V and G-V can be interpreted only in terms of interface states. The N_ss can follow the ac signal especially at low frequencies and yield an excess capacitance. Experimental results show that the I-V, C-V and G-V characteristics of SD are affected not only in N_ss but also in series resistance (R_s), and the location of N_ss and R_s has a significant on electrical characteristics of Schottky diodes.     

Prediction of barrier inhomogeneities and carrier transport in Ni-silicided Schottky diode

Based on Quantum Mechanical (QM) carrier transport and the effects of interface states, a theoretical model has been developed to predict the anomalous current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of a non-ideal Ni-silicided Schottky diode at low temperatures. Physical parameters such as barrier height, ideality factor, series resistance and effective Richardson constant of a silicided Schottky diode were extracted from forward I-V characteristics and are subsequently used for the simulation of both forward and reverse I-V characteristics using a QM transport model in which the effects of interface state and bias dependent barrier reduction are incorporated. The present analysis indicates that the effects of barrier inhomogeneity caused by incomplete silicide formation at the junction and the interface states may change the conventional current transport process, leading to anomalous forward and reverse I-V characteristics for the Ni-silicided Schottky diode.     

Investigation on the barrier height and inhomogeneity of nickel silicide Schottky

The apparent Schottky barrier height (SBH) of the nickel silicide Schottky contacts annealed at different temperatures was investigated based on temperature dependence of I-V characteristic. Thermionic emission-diffusion (TED) theory, single Gaussian and double Gaussian models were employed to fit I-V experimental data. It is found the single Gaussian and double Gaussian SB distribution model can give a very good fit to the I-V characteristic of apparent SBH for different annealing temperatures. Also, the apparent SBH and the leakage current increase with annealing temperatures under reverse voltage. In addition, the homogeneity of interfaces for the samples annealed at temperatures of 500 and 600 °C is much better than that of the samples annealed at temperatures of 400, 700, and 800 °C. This may result from the phase transformation of nickel silicide due to the different annealing temperatures and from the low Schottky barrier (SB) patches.     

The effects of annealing on Au/pyronine-B/MD n-InP Schottky structure

Thin film of non-polymeric organic compound pyronine-B has been fabricated on moderately doped (MD) n-InP substrate as an interfacial layer using spin coating technique for the electronic modification of Au/MD n-InP Schottky contact. The electrical characteristics have been determined at room temperature. The barrier height and the ideality factor values for Au/pyronine-B/MD n-InP Schottky diode have been obtained from the forward bias I-V characteristics at room temperature as 0.60 eV and 1.041; 0.571 and 1.253 eV after annealing at 100 and 250 °C, respectively. An increase in annealing temperature at the Au/n-InP Schottky junction is shown to increase the reverse bias leakage current by about one order of magnitude and decrease the Schottky barrier height by 0.027 eV. Furthermore, the barrier height values for the Au/pyronine-B/MD n-InP Schottky diode have also been obtained from the C-V characteristics at room temperature as 1.001 and 0.709 eV after annealing at 100 and 250 °C, respectively. Finally, it was seen that the diode parameters changed with increase in the annealing temperature.     

The effect of series resistance on capacitance-voltage characteristics of Schottky barrier diodes

The capacitance-voltage (C-V) and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the Ti/p-Si Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) have been investigated taking into account the effect of the interface states and series resistance of the device. The forward C-V measurements have been carried out in the range frequency of 0.3-2 MHz (at six different frequencies). It is seen that the forward C-V plots exhibit anomalous peaks in the presence of a series resistance. It has been experimentally determined that the peak positions in the C-V plot shift towards lower voltages and the peak value of the capacitance decreases with increasing frequency. In addition to, the effect of series resistance on the capacitance is found appreciable at higher frequencies due to the capacitance decreases with increasing frequency.     

Current-voltage analysis of a-Si:H Schottky diodes

Direct current (dc)-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) Schottky diode have been measured at different temperatures under dark and light. From the fourth quadrant of illuminated characteristics, fill factor (FF) values were obtained for each temperature measured (173-297 K). We have found that FF increases very little as the temperature is decreased. The measured data from I-V characteristics has been analyzed in detail. In particular, from dark I-V characteristics obtained, the density of state (DOS) near the Fermi level was determined using a simple model based on the space-charge limited current (SCLC). On the other hand, from the illuminated I-V characteristics, the density of carriers was calculated for each temperature using the analysis of diode equation as known. A comparison of the carrier density and the measured photocurrent as a function of the reverse temperature was also made and a good correspondence was obtained.     

Current conduction mechanism in Al/p-Si Schottky barrier diodes with native insulator layer at low temperatures

The forward bias current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of Al/p-Si (MS) Schottky diodes with native insulator layer were measured in the temperature range of 80-300 K. The obtained zero bias barrier height Φ_B0(I-V), ideality factor (n) and series resistance (R_s) determined by using thermionic emission (TE) mechanism show strong temperature dependence. There is a linear correlation between the Φ_B0(I-V) and n because of the inhomogeneties in the barrier heights (BHs). Calculated values from temperature dependent I-V data reveal an unusual behaviour such that the Φ_B0 decreases, as the n and R_s values are increasing with decreasing absolute temperature, and these changes are more pronounced especially at low temperatures. Such temperature dependence of BH is contradictory with the reported negative temperature coefficient of the barrier height. In order to explain this behaviour we have reported a modification in the expression reverse saturation current I_o including the n and the tunnelling factor (αΧ^1/2δ) estimated to be 15.5. Therefore, corrected effective barrier height Φ_bef.(I-V) versus temperature has a negative temperature coefficients (α = −2.66 × 10⁻⁴ eV/K) and it is in good agreement with negative temperature coefficients (α = −4.73 × 10⁻⁴ eV/K) of Si band gap. In addition, the temperature dependent energy distribution of interface states density N_ss profiles was obtained from the forward bias I-V measurements by taking into account the bias dependence of the Φ_e and n. The forward bias I-V characteristics confirm that the distribution of N_ss, R_s and interfacial insulator layer are important parameters that the current conduction mechanism of MS Schottky diodes.     

Influence of surface cleaning effects on properties of Schottky diodes on 4H-SiC

Ir/4H-SiC and IrO₂/4H-SiC Schottky diodes are reported in terms of different methods of surface pretreatment before contact deposition. In order to find the effect of surface preparation processes on Schottky characteristics the SiC wafers were respectively cleaned using the following processes: (1) RCA method followed by buffered HF dip. Next, the surface was oxidized (5.5 nm oxide) using a rapid thermal processing reactor chamber and circular geometry windows were opened in the oxide layer before metallization deposition; (2) the same as sequence (1) but with an additional in situ sputter etching step before metallization deposition; (3) cleaning in organic solvents followed by buffered HF dip. The I-V characteristics of Schottky diodes were analyzed to find a correlation between extracted parameters and surface treatment. The best results were obtained for the sequence (1) taking into account theoretical value of Schottky barrier height. The contacts showed excellent Schottky behavior with ideality factors below 1.08 and barrier heights of 1.46 eV and 1.64 eV for Ir and IrO₂, respectively. Very promising results were obtained for samples prepared using the sequence (2) taking into account the total static power losses because the modified surface preparation results in a decrease in the forward voltage drop and reverse leakage current simultaneously. The contacts with ideality factor below 1.09 and barrier height of 1.02 eV were fabricated for Ir/4H-SiC diodes in sequence (2).     

The dependence of barrier height on temperature for Pd Schottky contacts on ZnO

Temperature dependent current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements have been performed on Pd/ZnO Schottky barrier diodes in the range 60-300 K. The room temperature values for the zero bias barrier height from the I-V measurements (Φ_I-V) was found to be 0.52 eV and from the C-V measurements (Φ_C-V) as 3.83 eV. From the temperature dependence of forward bias I-V, the barrier height was observed to increase with temperature, a trend that disagrees with the negative temperature coefficient for semiconductor material. The C-V barrier height decreases with temperature, a trend that is in agreement with the negative temperature coefficient of semiconductor material. This has enabled us to fit two curves in two regions (60-120 K and 140-300 K). We have attributed this behaviour to a defect observed by DLTS with energy level 0.31 eV below the conduction band and defect concentration of between 4×10¹⁶ and 6×10¹⁶ cm⁻³ that traps carriers, influencing the determination of the barrier height.     

Nonideality of Au/Si and Au/GaAs Schottky barriers due to process-induced defects

A mechanism of local lowering of the Schottky barrier height (SBH) is proposed, which causes nonideality in nearly ideal Au/n-Si and Au/n-GaAs Schottky barriers. Positively ionized defects generated by the process very close to the interface induce electrons in the metal-induced gap states (MIGS) and lower the SBH locally. The spatial density distribution of the ionized defects obtained from the SBH distribution is determined by the unique interaction with the MIGS. The defects are considered to have the negative-U property and are neutralized at very close positions to the MIGS. The potential distributions close to the interface have a considerable potential drop due to the large defect density. These inhomogeneous potentials are coincident with the energy level scheme of the defect identified as the defect causing the nonideality. This defect is Si self-interstitial in Au/Si SB, and As antisite in Au/n-GaAs SB. This MIGS with process-induced defect model supersedes the previously proposed two major Fermi level pinning models. The mystery of the T₀ effect is solved. The thermionic-field emission current taking place in the strong electric field has influence on the I-V characteristics at low temperatures. Regarding the C-V characteristics of Au/Si SB, the observed extra capacitance under the forward bias is an experimental evidence in accordance with the proposed model.     

Thermal stability study of palladium and cobalt Schottky contacts on n-Ge (1 0 0) and defects introduced during contacts fabrication and annealing process

Palladium (Pd) and cobalt (Co) Schottky barrier diodes were fabricated on n-Ge (1 0 0). The Pd-Schottky contacts were deposited by resistive evaporation while the Co-contacts were deposited by resistive evaporation and electron beam deposition. Current-voltage (I-V), capacitance-voltage (C-V) and deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) measurements were performed on as-deposited and annealed samples. Electrical properties of Pd and Co samples annealed between 30 and 600 °C indicate the formation of one phase of palladium germanide and two phases of cobalt germanide. No defects were observed for the resistively evaporated as-deposited Pd-and Co-Schottky contacts. A hole trap at 0.33 eV above the valence band was observed on the Pd-Schottky contacts after annealing at 300 °C. An electron trap at 0.37 eV below the conduction band and a hole trap at 0.29 eV above the valence band was observed on as-deposited Co-electron beam deposited Schottky contacts. Rutherford back scattering (RBS) technique was also used to characterise the Co-Ge, for as-deposited and annealed samples.     

Molecular control over Ag/p-Si diode by organic layer

Electrical transport properties of Ag metal-fluorescein sodium salt (FSS) organic layer-silicon junction have been investigated. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the diode show rectifying behavior consistent with a potential barrier formed at the interface. The diode indicates a non-ideal I-V behavior with an ideality factor higher than unity. The ideality factor of the Ag/FSS/p-Si diode decreases with increasing temperature and the barrier height increases with increasing temperature. The barrier height (φ_b=0.98 eV) obtained from the capacitance-voltage (C-V) curve is higher than barrier height (φ_b=0.72 eV) derived from the I-V measurements. The barrier height of the Ag/FSS/p-Si Schottky diode at the room temperature is significantly larger than that of the Ag/p-Si Schottky diode. It is evaluated that the FSS organic layer controls electrical charge transport properties of Ag/p-Si diode by excluding effects of the SiO₂ residual oxides on the hybrid diode.     

A note on TiN/Si (1 0 0) contacts

The contact properties of TiN on p- and n-type Si (1 0 0) obtained by magnetron reactive sputtering were investigated. Schottky diode characteristics were observed on p-type Si (1 0 0) as determined by forward current-voltage (I-V) measurements, but on n-type Si (1 0 0) the reverse I-V relation has shown a nonsymmetrical character. The zero-bias barrier heights evaluated by I-V on both type diodes were in the range of ∼0.60-0.64 V within the range of a few mVs, not more than ∼±(10-30) mV from each other. Incorporation of the effect of the series resistance in the I-V analysis resulted in a significant reduction in the magnitude of the ideality factor of the TiN/p-type specimen. Almost no change has occurred in the barrier height values. The contradictory reports on the TiN/n-type Si (1 0 0) diode characteristics in earlier works have been explained in terms of surface passivation of Si by the HF cleaning solution. It was stated in these reports that following annealing at 673 K the diodes have shown rectifying behavior. It has been speculated, that the nonsymmetrical nature of the TiN/n-Si (1 0 0) showing an intermediate behavior between Ohmic and rectifying behavior is a result of the specimen being exposed to a temperature lower than 673 K during sputtering where no complete depassivation took place. In order to obtain a rectifying behavior of TiN on both n-type and p-type Si surface passivation has to be eliminated.     

Thermal stability of tungsten and tungsten nitride Schottky contacts to AlGaN/GaN

Thin tungsten nitride (WNx) films were produced by reactive DC magnetron sputtering of tungsten in an Ar-N2 gas mixture. The films were used as Schottky contacts on AlGaN/GaN heterostructures. The Schottky behaviours of WNx contact was investigated under various annealing conditions by current-voltage (I-V ) measurements. The results show that the gate leakage current was reduced to 10-6 A/cm2 when the N2 flow is 400 mL/min. The results also show that the WNx contact improved the thermal stability of Schottky contacts. Finally, the current transport mechanism in WNx/AlGaN/GaN Schottky diodes has been investigated by means of I-V characterisation technique at various temperatures between 300 K and 523 K. A TE model with a Gaussian distribution of Schottky barrier heights (SBHs) is thought to be responsible for the electrical behaviour at temperatures lower than 523 K.     

C-V analysis of rapidly thermal annealed SF6 plasma treated AlGaN/GaN heterostructures

We studied influence of rapid thermal annealing on electrical parameters of SF₆ plasma treated AlGaN/GaN heterostructures. The main emphasis by the evaluation was laid on C-V measurement and simulation, but also I-V and SIMS measurement were used. It was found that the diminished sheet carrier concentration of a two-dimensional electron gas after plasma treatment recovered significantly at the temperature of 500 °C. By using C-V measurement, it was possible to assess besides the changes of the two-dimensional electron gas concentration after annealing also the changes in the Schottky barrier heights and to find out the doping concentration in AlGaN barrier and GaN channel layer. The trend in Schottky barrier height changes after annealing was confirmed also by I-V measurement.     

Enhanced nonlinear current-voltage behavior in Au nanoparticle dispersed CaCu3Ti4O12 composite films

An enhanced nonlinear current-voltage behavior has been observed in Au nanoparticle dispersed CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ composite films. The double Schottky barrier model is used to explain the enhanced nonlinearity in I-V curves. According to the energy-band model and fitting result, the nonlinearity in Au: CCTO film is mainly governed by thermionic emission in the reverse-biased Schottky barrier. This result not only supports the mechanism of double Schottky barrier in CCTO, but also indicates that the nonlinearity of current-voltage behavior could be improved in nanometal composite films, which has great significance for the resistance switching devices.