We present a new analytical potential fluctuations model for the interpretation of current/voltage and capacitance/voltage measurements on spatially inhomogeneous Schottky contacts. A new evaluation schema of current and capacitance barriers permits a quantitative analysis of spatially distributed Schottky barriers. In addition, our analysis shows also that the ideality coefficient n of abrupt Schottky contacts reflects the deformation of the barrier distribution under applied bias; a general temperature dependence for the ideality n is predicted. Our model offers a solution for the so‐called T0 problem. Not only our own measurements on PtSi/Si diodes, but also previously published ideality data for Schottky diodes on Si, GaAs, and InP agree with our theory.

Barrier inhomogeneities at Schottky contacts

Theoretical models of Schottky-barrier height formation are reviewed. A particular emphasis is placed on the examination of how these models agree with general physical principles. New concepts on the relationship between interface dipole and chemical bond formation are analyzed, and shown to offer a coherent explanation of a wide range of experimental data.

Recent advances in Schottky barrier concepts

Numerical simulations are presented of the potential distribution and current transport associated with metal‐semiconductor (MS) contacts in which the Schottky barrier height (SBH) varies spatially. It is shown that the current across the MS contact may be greatly influenced by the existence of SBH inhomogeneity. Numerical simulations indicate that regions of low SBH are often pinched‐off when the size of these regions is less than the average depletion width. Saddle points in the potential contours in close proximity to the low‐SBH regions, which are shown to vary with the dimension and magnitude of the inhomogeneity as well as with bias, essentially determine the electron transport across the low‐SBH regions. It is these dependences of the saddle point which give rise to various abnormal behaviors frequently observed from SBH experiments, such as ideality factors greater than unity, various temperature dependences of the ideality factor, including the T 0 anomaly, and reverse characteristics which are strongly bias‐dependent. The results of these numerical simulations are shown to support the predictions of a recently developed analytic theory of SBH inhomogeneity.

Electron transport of inhomogeneous Schottky barriers: A numerical study

A new Schottky junction ultraviolet photodetector (UVPD) is fabricated by coating a free-standing ZnO nanorod (ZnONR) array with a layer of transparent monolayer graphene (MLG) fi lm. The single-crystalline [0001]-oriented ZnONR array has a length of about 8‐11 μ m, and a diameter of 100 ∼ 600 nm. Finite element method (FEM) simulation results show that this novel nanostructure array/MLG heterojunction can trap UV photons effectively within the ZnONRs. By studying the I‐V characteristics in the temperature range of 80‐300 K, the barrier heights of the MLG fi lm/ZnONR array Schottky barrier are estimated at different temperatures. Interestingly, the heterojunction diode with typical rectifying characteristics exhibits a high sensitivity to UV light illumination and a quick response of millisecond rise time/fall times with excellent reproducibility, whereas it is weakly sensitive to visible light irradiation. It is also observed that this UV photodetector (PD) is capable of monitoring a fast switching light with a frequency as high as 2250 Hz. The generality of the above results suggest that this MLG fi lm/ZnONR array Schottky junction UVPD will have potential application in future optoelectronic devices.

Monolayer Graphene Film on ZnO Nanorod Array for High‐Performance Schottky Junction Ultraviolet Photodetectors

Current-voltage characteristics of Pd2Si/p-Si(111) Schottky barrier diodes studied over a wide temperature range (60-201 K) are shown to follow a thermionic emission-diffusion mechanism under both the forward and the reverse bias conditions. The barrier parameters as evaluated from the forward I-V data reveal a decrease of zero-bias barrier height ( phi b0) but an increase of ideality factor ( eta ) and series resistance (Rs) with decrease in temperature. Moreover, the changes in phi b0, eta and Rs become quite significant below ~100 K. An In(Is/T2) versus 1/T plot is found to fit well with two straight lines in different temperatures regimes giving an activation energy of 0.33 eV (201-107 K) and 0.24 eV (below 107 K) and an effective Richardson constant of 33 A cm-2 K-2. However, the activation energy of 0.33 eV corresponds to the zero-bias barrier height at absolute zero. An In(Isf/T2) versus 1/ eta T plot is suggested to obtain the flat-band barrier height and the effective Richardson constant; the corresponding values obtained are 0.401 eV and 32.2 A cm-2 K-2 respectively. It is shown that the `T0 effect` cannot account for the apparent increase in ideality factor and decrease of barrier height at low temperatures. Finally, the decrease of barrier height with voltage under the reverse bias condition is attributed mainly to interfacial layer effects with a small contribution due to image force lowering.

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0268-1242/10/12/019/pdf

A.N. Saxena

Papers

Forward current-voltage characteristics of Schottky barriers on n-type silicon