Linear correlation between barrier heights and ideality factors of Sn/n-Si schottky diodes with and without the interfacial native oxide layer

Abstract

Abstract We have prepared the Sn/n-Si Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) with and without the native oxide layer. The diodes with or without the native oxide layer have been identically fabricated on the same Si wafer. The effective Schottky barrier heights (SBHs) and ideality factors of the SBDs have been obtained from the current–voltage ( I–V ) characteristics. Our purpose is experimentally to show whether or not the effective SBHs and ideality factors of the identically fabricated diodes differ from diode to diode. The SBH Φ b for the Sn/n-Si SBDs without the interfacial oxide layer (the reference sample) has ranged from 0.670 to 0.599 eV, and ideality factor n from 1.349 to 2.558. Φ b value for the Sn/n-Si SBDs with the interfacial oxide layer (metal–interfacial layer–semiconductor (MIS) sample) has ranged from 0.647 to 0.560 eV, and ideality factor n value from 1.381 to 2.777. Among identically prepared diodes, higher ideality factors have been found to accompany lower SBHs. Furthermore, the extrapolations of the linear plot the experimental barrier heights (BHs) versus ideality factors to the ideality factor have given the laterally homogeneous BHs of approximately 0.683 and 0.656 eV for the reference and MIS Sn/n-Si SBDs.