Journal ArticleDOI
Effects of image force and tunneling on current transport in metal-semiconductor (Schottky barrier) contacts
V.L. Rideout,C.R. Crowell +1 more
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In this article, an image force lowering of the potential energy barrier is included in a theoretical calculation of current transport in metal-semiconductor (Schottky barrier) contacts.Abstract:
Image force lowering of the potential energy barrier is included in a theoretical calculation of current transport in metal-semiconductor (Schottky barrier) contacts. Thermionic and thermionic-field (tunnel) emission are analyzed in a normalized formulation to yield the current (I) vs. voltage (V) relationship. Quantum-mechanical reflection of carriers near the top of the image force rounded barrier is included in the theory by the use of Kemble's transmission probability which incorporates the one-dimensional WKB-type tunneling approximation into a transmission probability applicable both above and below the top of the barrier. Carrier distributions in the semiconductor and in the metal are described by Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics. For any given combination of three dimensionless input parameters E b kT , kT E 00 , and E 00 E 11 , which correspond to bias, temperature and donor concentration respectively, two dimensionless output parameters I f I m (current) and the diode n value (inverse slope of the semilog I vs. V relationship) are determined. Computer solutions are presented in both graphical and tabular form. The results permit a straightforward calculation of the barrier height and the semiconductor donor concentration from experimental I−V data. In comparison with the predictions of current transport models that neglect image force lowering, the present work shows that inclusion of image force leads to a significant increase in the predicted magnitude of the current density and to minor changes in the magnitude of the diode n value. Corrections to the predictions of models that neglect image force arise primarily from enhanced thermionic emission over the image force lowered barrier rather than from enhanced tunnel emission through the image force narrowed barrier. The Kemble transmission probability may be defined in terms of a characteristic transmission energy, Et, which is useful when thermionic emission dominates the conduction process to the extent that quantum-mechanical tunneling and reflection may be considered as a perturbation on thermionic emission. When this occurs Et can be used to estimate the magnitude of the perturbation.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Barrier inhomogeneities at Schottky contacts
TL;DR: In this article, a new analytical potential fluctuations model for the interpretation of current/voltage and capacitance/voltages measurements on spatially inhomogeneous Schottky contacts is presented.
Journal ArticleDOI
Recent advances in Schottky barrier concepts
TL;DR: Theoretical models of Schottky-barrier height formation are reviewed in this paper, with a particular emphasis on the examination of how these models agree with general physical principles, and 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.
Journal ArticleDOI
The physics and chemistry of the Schottky barrier height
TL;DR: The formation of the Schottky barrier height (SBH) is a complex problem because of the dependence of the SBH on the atomic structure of the metal-semiconductor (MS) interface as mentioned in this paper.
Journal ArticleDOI
Electron transport of inhomogeneous Schottky barriers: A numerical study
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present numerical simulations of the potential distribution and current transport associated with metal-semiconductor contacts in which the Schottky barrier height (SBH) varies spatially.
Journal ArticleDOI
A review of the theory and technology for ohmic contacts to group III–V compound semiconductors
TL;DR: In this article, the basic principles of current transport in metal-semiconductor (Schottky barrier) contacts are presented, and the experimental techniques for fabricating ohmic contacts to III-V compound semiconductors are described.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI
Field and thermionic-field emission in Schottky barriers
F.A. Padovani,R. Stratton +1 more
TL;DR: In this article, the authors derived voltage-current characteristics for field and T-F emission in the forward and reverse regime of Schottky barriers formed on highly doped semiconductors.
Journal ArticleDOI
Thermionic Emission, Field Emission, and the Transition Region
E. L. Murphy,R. H. Good +1 more
TL;DR: In this paper, a general expression for the emitted current as a function of field, temperature, and work function is set up in the form of a definite integral, and each type of emission is associated with a technique for approximating the integral and with a characteristic dependence on the three parameters.
Journal ArticleDOI
Current transport in metal-semiconductor barriers
C.R. Crowell,S.M. Sze +1 more
TL;DR: In this paper, a theory for calculating the magnitude of majority carrier current flow in metal-semiconductor barriers is developed which incorporates Schottky's diffusion (D) theory and Bethe's thermionic emission (T) theory into a single T-D emission theory, and which includes the effects of the image force.
Journal ArticleDOI
Normalized thermionic-field (T-F) emission in metal-semiconductor (Schottky) barriers
C.R. Crowell,V.L. Rideout +1 more
TL;DR: In this paper, a quasi-one-dimensional approach and Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics are used to obtain a normalized solution in closed form for the forward and reverse current (I)-voltage (V) relationship.