On the nature of metal–porous Si–single crystal silicon (MPS) diodes

Abstract

In order to provide a consistent explanation of the operation, the factors contributing to the current through an MPS diode were analysed in forward biasing on an n-type, mesoporous structure. The diodes having a degenerate n-doped ITO metallisation were characterised by recording the temperature dependent I-V characteristics in a vacuum cryostat in the temperature range of T = 100 K to 300 K. A systematic deconvolution of the obtained I-V curves, after stripping them from the contributions of ohmic conductance, resulted in a purely Fowler-Nordheim tunnelling behaviour. The present analysis in forward operation lead to very similar results as obtained formerly in the reverse biasing case [Molnar et al., J. Lumin. 80, 91 (1999)], except that no significant electroluminescence was observed here.