I-V characteristics of Schottky/metal-insulator-semiconductor diodes with tunnel thin barriers

Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics and their temperature dependence, of Schottky and metal-insulator-semiconductor diodes with tunnel thin insulati ng layers, are theoretically and experimentally studied. The effective barr ier height of a Schottky diode becomes low and strongly dependent upon the applied voltage, when the impurity density of the semiconductor increases s uch that the tunnel current dominates the total current. The I-V curves and their temperature dependence, of the tunnel thin MIS diodes strongly refle ct the characteristics of the Schottky diodes, although the insulating laye rs suppress the currents, depending upon their I-layers thickness.