Characterization of the inhomogeneous barrier distribution in a Pt/(100)β-Ga2O3 Schottky diode via its temperature-dependent electrical properties

• Published in: AIP advances Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 015316 - 015316-9
• Main Authors: Jian, Guangzhong, He, Qiming, Mu, Wenxiang, Fu, Bo, Dong, Hang, Qin, Yuan, Zhang, Ying, Xue, Huiwen, Long, Shibing, Jia, Zhitai, Lv, Hangbing, Liu, Qi, Tao, Xutang, Liu, Ming
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melville American Institute of Physics 01.01.2018; AIP Publishing LLC
• Subjects: Barriers; Bias; Capacitance-voltage characteristics; Electric potential; Electrical properties; Electronic devices; Gallium oxides; Inhomogeneity; Normal distribution; Schottky diodes; Temperature dependence; Thermionic emission; Ultrawideband
• ISSN: 2158-3226; 2158-3226
• DOI: 10.1063/1.5007197

β-Ga2O3 is an ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor with applications in power electronic devices. Revealing the transport characteristics of β-Ga2O3 devices at various temperatures is important for improving device performance and reliability. In this study, we fabricated a Pt/β-Ga2O3 Schottky barrier diode with good performance characteristics, such as a low ON-resistance, high forward current, and a large rectification ratio. Its temperature-dependent current–voltage and capacitance–voltage characteristics were measured at various temperatures. The characteristic diode parameters were derived using thermionic emission theory. The ideality factor n was found to decrease from 2.57 to 1.16 while the zero-bias barrier height Φb0 increased from 0.47 V to 1.00 V when the temperature was increased from 125 K to 350 K. This was explained by the Gaussian distribution of barrier height inhomogeneity. The mean barrier height Φ ¯ b0 = 1.27 V and zero-bias standard deviation σ0 = 0.13 V were obtained. A modified Richardson plot gave a Richardson constant A* of 36.02 A·cm−2·K−2, which is close to the theoretical value of 41.11 A·cm−2·K−2. The differences between the barrier heights determined using the capacitance–voltage and current–voltage curves were also in line with the Gaussian distribution of barrier height inhomogeneity.