Analysis of temperature-dependent Schottky barrier parameters of Cu–Au Schottky contacts to n-InP

Abstract

In this work, we have investigated the electrical characteristics of Au–Cu–n-InP Schottky contacts by current–voltage (I–V) and capacitance–voltage (C–V) measurements in the temperature range 260–420 K in steps of 20 K. The diode parameters, such as the ideality factor, n, and zero-bias barrier height, Φb0, have been found to be strongly temperature dependent. It has been found that the zero-bias barrier height, Φb0(I–V), increases and the ideality factor, n, decreases with an increase in temperature. The forward I–V characteristics are analyzed on the basis of standard thermionic emission (TE) theory and the assumption of gaussian distribution of barrier heights, due to barrier inhomogeneities that prevail at the metal–semiconductor interface. The zero-bias barrier height Φb0 versus 1/2kT plot has been drawn to obtain the evidence of a gaussian distribution of the barrier heights. The corresponding values are Φb0 = 1.16 eV and σ0 = 159 meV for the mean barrier height and standard deviation, respectively. The modified Richardson plot has given mean barrier height, Φb0, and Richardson constant, A**, as 1.15 eV and 7.34 Acm−2K−2, respectively, which is close to the theoretical value of 9.4 Acm−2K−2. Barrier heights obtained from C–V measurements are higher than those obtained from I–V measurements. This inconsistency between Schottky barrier heights (SBHs) obtained from I–V and C–V measurements was also interpreted. The temperature dependence of the I–V characteristics of the Au–Cu–n-InP Schottky diode has been explained on the basis of TE mechanism with gaussian distribution of the SBHs.