Nature of forward and reverse saturation currents in metal-semiconductor contacts with the Schottky barrier

Journal Article · Tue Jun 15 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Semiconductors

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063782610060096· OSTI ID:21562282

The heavy dependence of the saturation currents for the forward and reverse I-V characteristics of high-barrier (>0.6 V) metal-semiconductor cont acts with the Schottky barrier on their diameter D is determined by an additional electric field formed under the effect of the contact periphery; this field is built into and codirected with the intrinsic electric field of the contact. It prevents the motion of electrons through the contact when a forward bias is applied across it. An increase in contact diameters from 5 to 700 {mu}m results in decreasing the difference in forward and reverse saturation currents from five orders of magnitude to almost zero. The increase in the contact diameter, thus, results in decreasing periphery effect and absolute value of the built4n electric field. Adecrease in the barrier height( {<=}0.6 V for D = 5 {mu}m) also results in almost complete coincidence of forward and reverse saturation currents. At the reverse portions of the I-V characteristics, the effect of the built-in field manifests itself in a significant decrease in the effective height of the potential barrier due to a decrease in its width near the top and the substantial increase in the field electron emission through the barrier for lower energies. At the forward portions, it manifests itself in almost complete absence of the forward currents at low biases.

• OSTI ID: 21562282
• Journal Information: Semiconductors, Journal Name: Semiconductors Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 44; ISSN SMICES; ISSN 1063-7826
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CURRENTS
DIMENSIONS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRON EMISSION
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
EQUIPMENT
FERMIONS
HEIGHT
LEPTONS
MATERIALS
METALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SATURATION
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS