The influence of image forces on the extraction of physical parameters in Schottky barrier diodes

We present a method for extraction of the Schottky barrier diode parameters from current-voltage (I-V) characteristics in the presence of barrier heig ht changes with voltage induced by image forces. The techniques, which allo w for the inclusion of a series resistance R-s yield the built-in voltage V -bi, the saturation current I-S (zero bias barrier height Phi(B)) the image force potential Delta Phi(B), the donor concentration N-D and the voltage dependence of the ideality factor beta. The method separates the effects on the I-V characteristic of an image force from the effect of current flow m echanisms other than thermionic emission. The proposed procedure determines a general voltage dependence of the effective ideality factor beta(V) whic h is not limited to Schottky diodes but is also applicable to other diode t ypes based on PN junction. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8 979(99)04624-1].