The physical processes which determine the behavior of n-silicon tunne
l metal-dielectric-semiconductor structures at high current densities
are examined. For the first time a complete analytic model is proposed
for calculating the current-voltage characteristics of metal-dielectr
ic-semiconductor structures with a high voltage on the dielectric. A '
'classification'' of the possible current-voltage characteristics is i
ntroduced. The effect of Auger ionization of the semiconductor by inje
cted carriers (including when a high field exists in the semiconductor
) is analyzed. Calculations are presented to illustrate the dependence
of the shape of the device characteristics on the level of substrate
doping. A study is made of the conditions for the appearance of and th
e characteristics of the ''switched-on'' state, in which minority carr
iers are lost from the inversion layer not only because of tunnelling
into the metal, but also because of diffusion into the interior of the
semiconductor. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.