Ultrafast strain-induced current in a GaAs Schottky diode

Picosecond acoustic pulses generated by femtosecond laser excitation of a metal film induce a transient current with subnanosecond rise time in a GaAs/Au Schottky diode. The signal consists of components due to the strain pulse crossing the edge of the depletion layer in the GaAs and also the GaAs/Au interface. A theoretical model is presented for the former and is shown to be in very good agreement with the experiment.     

Thermal activation of current in an inhomogeneous Schottky diode with a Gaussian distribution of barrier height

This paper investigates the thermal activation behaviour of current in an inhomogeneous Schottky diode with a Gaussian distribution of barrier height by numerical simulation. The analytical Gaussian distribution model predicted that the I--V--T curves may intersect with the possibility of the negative thermal activation of current, but may be contradictory to the thermionic emission mechanism in a Schottky diode. It shows that the cause of the unphysical phenomenon is related to the incorrect calculation of current across very low barriers. It proposes that junction voltage V_j, excluding the voltage drop across series resistance from the external bias, is a crucial parameter for correct calculation of the current across very low barriers. For correctly employing the thermionic emission model, V_j needs to be smaller than the barrier height Ф. With proper scheme of series resistance connection where the condition of V_j > Ф is guaranteed, I--V--T curves of an inhomogeneous Schottky diode with a Gaussian distribution of barrier height have been simulated, which demonstrate normal thermal activation. Although the calculated results exclude the intersecting possibility of I--V--T curves with an assumption of temperature-independent series resistance, it shows that the intersecting is possible when the series resistance has a positive temperature coefficient. Finally, the comparison of our numerical and analytical results indicates that the analytical Gaussian distribution model is valid and accurate in analysing I--V--T curves only for small barrier height inhomogeneity.     

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.     

Low frequency characteristics of a quasioptical Schottky diode detector part I: Theory

A theoretical study is made of saturation effects of FIR point contacts Schottky diodes when used in the envelope detection mode of operation. A model is described that fits experimental results for radiation wavelength ranging from microwaves down to FIR wavelengths. This model permits the prediction of saturation levels throughout this range.     

Current-voltage characteristics of a spin half-metallic transistor

A new design of spin transistor based on half-metallic ferromagnets (referred to as a spin half-metallic transistor) is suggested, and its current-voltage characteristics are studied theoretically. Like a bipolar transistor, the new device can amplify current. At the same time, the properties of a spin half-metallic transistor depend considerably on the mutual orientation of the magnetizations of its three contacts. We also propose a device based on an F ^↑-F ^↓ junction. This device consists of two single-domain half-metallic parts with opposite magnetizations. There is a range of voltages where the current-voltage characteristics of an F ^↑-F ^↓ junction and a semiconductor diode are similar. The behavior of an F ^↑-F ^↓ junction under different conditions is studied.     

Low frequency characteristics of a quasioptical Schottky diode detector part II: Experimental results

A detailed experimental study of the low frequency (video) response of a quasioptical Schottky diode detector over the microwave and FIR wavelength range is presented. An optimization of the responsivity versus the bias current is proposed and a generalized curve of the saturation power versus the FIR wavelength is given. This curve defines for any antenna point-contact Schottky diode detector, suitable for FIR detection, the power range for a linear detector response. A simple method is also described to calculate the coupling efficiency of the laser radiation into the antenna reception pattern.     

Boundary conditions for space-charge-limited current in a diode with localized ionization

Space-charge-limited current conduction in a diode with an inhomogeneous gas concentration is investigated when gas density dependence on x can be described by the relation n(x)=N (x–x_B). It is shown that when the localized ionization attains its limiting pressure, two conditions are satisfied: the electric field intensity becomes zero at x=x_b and the derivative of the electron current density with respect to pressure approaches infinity, i.e., two different criteria for igniting a controlled discharge used by various investigatore are simultaneously satisfied.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 11, pp. 65–68, November, 1976.     

Generation of a submillisecond electron beam with a high-density current in a plasma-emitter diode under the conditions of open plasma boundary emission

The generation of a 250-μs-wide electron beam in a plasma-emitter diode is studied experimentally. A plasma was produced by a pulsed arc discharge in hydrogen. The electron beam is extracted from a circular emission hole 3.8 mm in diameter under open plasma boundary conditions. The beam accelerated in the diode gap enters into a drift space in the absence of an external magnetic field through a hole 4.1 mm in diameter made in the anode. The influence of electron current deposition at the edge of the anode hole on the beam’s maximum attainable current, above which the diode gap breaks down, is studied for different accelerating voltages and diode gaps. The role of processes occurring on the surface of the electrodes is shown. For an accelerating voltage of 32 kV, a mean emission current density of 130 A/cm² is achieved. The respective mean strength of the electric field in the acceleration gap is 140 kV/cm. Using the POISSON-2 software package, the numerical simulation of the diode performance is carried out and the shape of steady plasma emission boundaries in the cathode and anode holes is calculated. The influence of the density of the ion current from the anode plasma surface on the maximum attainable current of the electron beam is demonstrated.     

Current-voltage characteristics for a Peierls-conducting point contact

Current-voltage (J-V) and differential-conductivity-voltage ( dJ/dV-V) characteristics are analytically calculated at zero temperature for a point contact consisting of: two Peierls conductors P ( = 1, 2) separated by an insulator (I). Here P is a conductor with charge density wave (CDW). The J-V and dJ/dV-V characteristics depend on the CDW phases ( = 1, 2) in the mean field approximation. To calculate them analytically we assumed, = ≡Δ where ( = 1, 2) are the energy gaps of P ( = 1, 2). The current J has a discontinuous jump at eV = 2Δ for ϕ ₁ = ϕ ₂≠ 0. The differential conductivity dJ/dV has a singularity at eV = 2Δ for ϕ ₁ = ϕ ₂≠ 0. The relation J(V,ϕ ₁,ϕ ₂) = - J(- V,ϕ ₁ + π,ϕ ₂ + π) is obtained. Received 4 July 2001 and Received in final form 13 September 2001     

Current-voltage characteristics of a non-transferred plasma spray torch

I–V characteristics of a non-transferred DC plasma spray torch operating on argon and argon + nitrogen mixtures are reported. Arc voltage is decreased with increase in arc current and increased with increase in electrode gap. Arc power is higher at higher percentage of nitrogen in argon. Nottingham co-efficients were calculated using numerical method.     

Current-voltage characteristics of a gas field ion source

Current-voltage characteristics of a gas field ion source (GFIS) have been measured for hydrogen and all rare gases. The parameter set included tip temperature, tip radius and gas temperature and pressure. This investigation has been made to get a complete overview of the field ion currents (FIC) and to estimate the maximum currents in a GFIS, which have been found to a few 100 nA. This estimate allows also a feasibility study of a GFIS, modified by a supertip, a small protuberance on the emitter surface.     

Current-voltage characteristics of type-II superconductors

For a wide range of samples and conditions the I-V characteristic of type-II superconductors fits the expression V ∞ (I-I_p)² (I-αI_p)⁻¹. The initial non-linearity is attributed to the fact that the fluxons do not move with uniform velocity.     

4H-SiC肖特基二极管的电荷收集特性

针对极端环境下耐辐照半导体核探测器的研制需求,采用耐高温、耐辐照的4H碳化硅(4H-SiC)宽禁带材料制成肖特基二极管,研究了该探测器对241Am源粒子的电荷收集效率。从电容-电压曲线得出该二极管外延层净掺杂数密度为1.991015/cm3。从正向电流-电压曲线获得该二极管肖特基势垒高度为1.66 eV,理想因子为1.07,表明该探测器具备良好的热电子发射特性。在反向偏压高达700 V时,该二极管未击穿,其漏电流仅为21 nA,具有较高的击穿电压。在反向偏压为0~350 V范围内研究了该探测器对3.5 MeV 粒子电荷收集效率,在0 V时为48.7%,在150 V时为99.4%,表明该探测器具有良好的电荷收集特性。     

Electronic and interface state density distribution properties of Ag/p-Si Schottky diode

Electronic and interface state distribution properties of Ag/p-Si Schottky diode have been investigated. The diode indicates non-ideal current-voltage behavior with an ideality factor greater than unity. The capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristic is linear in reverse bias indicating rectification behavior and charge density within depletion layer is uniform. From I-V and C-V characteristics, junction parameters such as diode ideality factor and barrier height were found as 1.66 and ?_B(I-V) = 0.84 eV (?_B(C-V) = 0.90 eV), respectively. The interface state density N_ss and relaxation time τ of the Schottky diode were determined by means of Schottky capacitance spectroscopy method. The results show the presence of thin interfacial layer between the metal and semiconductor.     

4H-SiC肖特基二极管的电荷收集特性

针对极端环境下耐辐照半导体核探测器的研制需求,采用耐高温、耐辐照的4H碳化硅(4H-SiC)宽禁带材料制成肖特基二极管,研究了该探测器对241Am源粒子的电荷收集效率。从电容-电压曲线得出该二极管外延层净掺杂数密度为1.991015/cm3。从正向电流-电压曲线获得该二极管肖特基势垒高度为1.66 eV,理想因子为1.07,表明该探测器具备良好的热电子发射特性。在反向偏压高达700 V时,该二极管未击穿,其漏电流仅为21 nA,具有较高的击穿电压。在反向偏压为0~350 V范围内研究了该探测器对3.5 MeV 粒子电荷收集效率,在0 V时为48.7%,在150 V时为99.4%,表明该探测器具有良好的电荷收集特性。     

Current-voltage characteristics of porous-silicon structures

Summary I–V DC characteristics have been measured on metal/ porous-silicon structures. In particular, the measurements on metal/ free-standing porous-silicon film/metal devices confirmed the result, already obtained, that the metal/poroussilicon interface plays a crucial role in the transport of any device. Four-contacts measurements on free-standing layers showed that the current linearly depends on the voltage and that the conduction process is thermally activated, the activtion energy depending on the porous silicon film production parameters. Finally, annealing experiments performed in order to improve the conduction of rectifiyng contacts, are described. Paper presented at the III INSEL (Incontro Nazionale sul Silicio Emettitore di Luce), Torino, 12–13 October 1995