Reverse-bias leakage in Schottky diodes

Abstract

Reverse-bias current-voltage (IR-V ) characteristics of Al-n / GaAs Schottky diodes have been studied in a temperature range from 92 to 333 K. The results are explained on the basis of phonon-assisted tunnelling model. It is shown that the temperature dependence of the reverse current IR could be caused by the temperature dependence of the electron tunnelling rate from traps in the metal-semiconductor interface to the conduction band of the semiconductor.Temperature-dependent IR-V data obtained by Zhang et al [J. Appl. Phys. 2006; 99: 023703] and Osvald et al [Microelectron. Eng. 2005; 81: 181] for Schottky diodes fabricated on n-GaN are reinterpreted in terms of a phonon-assisted tunnelling model. The temperature and bias voltages dependences of an apparent barrier height (activation energy) observed by other researchers are also explained in the framework of this model.

PHYSICAL ORIGINS OF 1/f NOISE IN Si δ-DOPED SCHOTTKY DIODES

“…Linear leakage is usually related with processes in the perimeter of the diode. Recently, a number of papers about reverse-bias leakage current mechanisms in Schottky diodes have appeared (see, for example, [16,17]). The possible nature of nonlinear leakage may be linked with additional tunneling channel, namely, tunneling of the electrons across the bottom of the nearsurface potential barrier [17,18].…”