Built-in Electric Charge Research Articles

INFLUENCE OF ANODIC ALUMINA USED AS SEPARATING DIELECTRIC OF SILICON AVALANCHE LEDs ON DIODE CHARACTERISTICS

A study of the influence of the formation regimes of avalanche LEDs based on nanostructured silicon on the parameters of the formed devices, such as the light emission voltage and the stability of operation has been performed. These parameters are an important factor for the practical use of avalanche LEDs in the development of silicon photonics products, the progress of which is associated with the future of integrated electronics. For the first time, the technological operation of local through electrochemical anodizing of aluminum in various electrolytes for the formation of a separating dielectric of Schottky contacts is presented. The influence of the built-in electric charge in the separation dielectric of silicon avalanche LEDs on their current-voltage characteristics is studied. It was found that the built-in negative electric charge increases the breakdown voltage of the Schottky contact, which results in an increase of the light emission efficiency of the diode structures. An explanation of this effect is presented on the basis that the built-in negative electric charge inside the anode oxide also creates a space charge region in silicon, which helps to reduce the effect of the concentration of field lines at the edges of diode structures, performing the function of protecting the Schottky contact from edge effects as well as protective areas do. It has been established that the highest avalanche breakdown voltage is observed in diode structures with anodic oxide formed in an electrolyte based on an aqueous solution of phosphoric acid. An analysis of the characteristics of LEDs at different temperatures of silicon substrates showed an increase of breakdown voltage with increasing temperature, which is typical for avalanche breakdown during impact ionization. Stable light emission of the formed LEDs was demonstrated in a wide range of operating voltages (8–16 V). The use of silicon avalanche LEDs both as discrete devices and in integrated electronics in general has been discussed.

Effect of surface potential of anodic alumina film on their charge properties

The surface potential of anodic alumina films and their charge properties have been studied. The surface potential of anodic alumina films after anodic process has positive values, but then this potential is decreased to zero level with subsequent transition to negative values. The negative displacement of the surface potential is associated with a negative built-in electric charge of aluminum anodic oxide. The mechanism of transition from the positive built-in electric charge to the negative one inside the anodic oxides is proposed. The highest density of the negative charge is observed in the films formed in electrolytes based on the aqueous solutions of the citric and phosphoric acids.

The Changes of Surface Potential and Built-in Charge in Alumina Films After the Anodization Process

We have shown that the surface potential of anodic alumina films changes in time: immediately after the anodization process it was positively followed by the substantial decrease to negative values. Such variations of the surface potential can be associated with the negative built-in electric charge in alumina. The highest negative charge density occurs in the films formed in citric and phosphoric electrolytes.

Charge effects controlling the current hysteresis and negative differential resistance in periodic nanodimensional structures Si/CaF2

A kinetic model for charge carrier transport in periodic nanodimensional Si/CaF2 structures via localized states in the insulator was suggested. The appearance of the built-in electric charge in the insulator due to the polarization of the charge trapped by localized charge centers and the subsequent discharge of these centers were investigated. It was demonstrated that these phenomena explain the hysteresis of current-voltage (I–V) characteristics with a change of polarity of the applied external voltage. These phenomena bring about the portion of negative differential resistance (NDR) in these characteristics. Major factors ensuring the NDR appearance for the structures under investigation are the charge carrier density at the contacts and the charge voltage. At temperatures below 250 K, the NDR portion disappears. It was demonstrated that, in the course of recording the experimental I–V characteristics, the effect of the charging-discharging of localized centers should decrease. This decrease is in accordance with an increase in the time interval of measuring the current at a constant voltage and with an increase in the step of the applied voltage. This effect actually disappears for the measurement time of 20 s and the voltage step of 0.6 V.

Specific properties of the PZT-based thin-film capacitor structures with excess lead oxide

The effect of excess lead oxide on the microstructure and ferroelectric properties of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films was studied in PZT-based thin-film capacitor structures. It is shown that excess lead in the form of lead oxide is localized at the grain boundaries and film-platinum electrode interfaces, which can result in the appearance of internal electric fields and the self-polarization of PZT films. It is suggested that the selfpolarization effect is related to the formation of a built-in electric charge with different densities at the bottom and top metal electrode-ferroelectric film interfaces.