Analysis of thermionic emission from electrodeposited Ni–Si Schottky barriers

Download

PDF Download (797Kb)

Description/Abstract

Ni–Si Schottky barriers are fabricated by electrodeposition using n on n+ Si substrates. I –V, C–V and low temperature I –V measurements are presented. A high-quality Schottky barrier with extremely low reverse leakage current is revealed. The results are shown to fit an inhomogeneous barrier model for thermionic emission over a Schottky barrier proposed byWerner and Guttler [J.H.Werner, H.H. Guttler, Barrier inhomogeneities at Schottky contacts, J. Appl. Phys. 69 (3) (1991) 1522–1533]. A mean value of 0.76 V and a standard deviation of 66 mV is obtained for the Schottky barrier height at room temperature with a linear bias dependence. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy measurements reveal a polycrystalline Ni film with grains that span from the Ni–Si interface to the top of the Ni layer. The variation in Ni orientation is suggested as a possible source of the spatial distribution of the Schottky barrier height.