Field Emission at Grain Boundaries: Modeling the Conductivity in Highly Doped Polycrystalline Semiconductors

Abstract

Semiconductor technology can hinge on the physics of polycrystalline materials, not the nearly ideal single crystals of the research lab. Scattering of charge carriers at grain boundaries can spoil conductivity, and thus device performance. This study presents an analytical description of electron transport in highly doped polycrystals, focusing on electron tunneling through potential barriers at grain boundaries, while also including two intragrain scattering mechanisms. Although the authors begin with transparent conducting oxides in mind (for, say, flat-panel displays, or solar cells), their findings should extend to all semiconductors.