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ECE606: Solid State Devices
ECE606: Solid State Devices
Lecture 25: Schottky Diode (I)
Muhammad Ashraful Alam
alam@purdue.edu

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 1
Outline

1) Importance of metal‐semiconductor junctions
2) Equilibrium band‐diagrams 
3) DC Thermionic current (simple derivation)
4) Conclusions

R f S i d t D i F d
Ref. Semiconductor Device Fundamentals, Chapter 14, p. 477
t l Ch t 14 477

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 2
Metal‐semiconductor Diode 

Symbols

M N

ND

Metal Wire

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 3
 Applications of M‐S Diode ….
Detectors STM on semiconductor

www.fz‐juelich.de/ibn/index.php?index=674
Original Bipolar  CNT Transistors

Originally, Gelena (PbS), Si  as semiconductor and 
Phospor Bronze for metal (cat’s whisker) 4
Outline

1) Importance of metal‐semiconductor junctions
2) Equilibrium band‐diagrams 
3) DC Thermionic current (simple derivation)
4) Conclusions

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 5
Topic Map

Equilibrium DC Small 
Small Large 
Large Circuits
signal Signal
Diode

Schottky

BJT/HBT

MOS

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 6
Drawing Band Diagram in Equilibrium…

∇ • D = q ( p − n + N D+ − N A− ) Equilibrium
∂n 1
= ∇ • J N − rN + g N
∂t q

J N = qnμ N E + qDN ∇n DC  dn/dt

DC dn/dt=00
Small signal dn/dt ~ jωtn 
∂p 1
= − ∇ • J P − rP + g P Transient ‐‐‐ full sol.
∂t q
J P = qp μ P E − qDP ∇p

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 7
Band‐Diagram

ND

Vacuum level

ΦM χ
EC
EF
Negligible ..
EV

N A x p = N D xn

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 8
Built‐in Potential: bc @Infinity

qVbi
ΦM
χ
ΦB Δ

Δ + χ + qVbi = Φ M qVbi = ( Φ M − χ ) − Δ ≡ Φ B − Δ
ND
= Φ B − k BT ln
NC
Alam  ECE‐606 S09 9
Complete Analytical Solution
Depletion Approximation
ρ E
qND
q
Actual Xn x
x
Xn

QD qN x
Emax = =− D n
QD = NDXn K sε 0 K sε 0
QM =‐QD

φ
qφB
EC x

Xn
EV Emax xn
x φmax = −
Xn 2

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 10
Analytical Solution (Simple Approach)
E (0 ) =
+ qN D xn
Charge ksε 0

E (0 )=
−
qN M x p
+ xn ?
‐ k sε 0
Position
xp
⇒ N D xn = N M x p
E‐field

Position E ( 0− ) xn E ( 0+ ) x p
qVbi = +
2 2
Potential
2
qN D xn 2 qN M x p
= +
2k s ε 0 2k s ε 0
Position

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 11
 Depletion Regions

ND
xp xn

N D xn = N M x p 2k s ε 0 NM 2k sε 0 1
xn = Vbi → Vbi
q ND ( NM + ND ) q ND
2
qN D xn 2 qN M x p
qVbi = + 2k s ε 0 ND
2k s ε 0 2k s ε 0 xp = Vbi → 0
q NM ( NM + ND )

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 12
Outline

1) Importance of metal‐semiconductor junctions
2) Equilibrium band‐diagrams 
3) DC Thermionic current (simple derivation)
4) Conclusions

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 13
Topic Map

Equilibrium DC Small 
Small Large 
Large Circuits
signal Signal
Diode

Schottky

BJT/HBT

MOS

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 14
Band Diagram with Applied Bias…

∇ • D = q ( p − n + N D+ − N A− ) Band diagram …
∂n 1
= ∇ • J N − rN + g N
∂t q

J N = qnμ N E + qDN ∇n This will not work

This will not work
∂p 1 Need theory of thermionic
= − ∇ • J P − rP + g P emission 
∂t q
J P = qp μ P E − qDP ∇p

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 15
Band‐diagram with Bias
Forward Bias

qVbi-V
EC-EF

VA

qVbi

EC‐EF

Reverse Bias

VA
EC-EF

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 16
Depletion Regions with Bias

ND
xp
xn

2 k sε 0 NM 2 k sε 0 1
xn = Vbi → (Vbi − VA )
q ND ( NM + ND ) q ND

22kk sε 0 ND
xp = Vbi → 0
q NM ( NM + ND )

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 17
 I‐V Characteristics 

VA N-type
Forward Bias
Ec
Metal Semi.
I
EFM EFS
EF
EV 1,2,3

I
Reverse Bias 67
6,7
EFM
4

Ec 5
EFS
EF
EV
Alam  ECE‐606 S09 18
Left Boundary Condition 

q(Vbi-VA) EC
VA

J T (VA ) = J m→ s (VA ) − J s →m (VA )

= J m→ s (0)) − J s →m (VA )
J T (VA = 0) = 0 = J m → s (0) − J s → m (0) (detailed
( balance))
⇒ J m → s (0) = J s → m (0)
J T (VA ) = J s → m (0) − J s → m (VA )
Alam  ECE‐606 S09 19
 Semiconductor to Metal Flux

Vbi −VA
q B
qΦ ns −q
J s → m (VA ) = −q e υth
n −
J m → s (VA ) = − q m e kT
υth kT
2 2
nsυth kT
qVbi qVA
−
= −q e × e kT
2
qΦ B
nmυth −
qVA

= −q e kT
e kT
2
q(Vbi‐VA)

EC-EF
VA

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 20
Total Flux…

qnmυth
− qΦ m
⎡ qVkkTTA ⎤
J T = J s → m (0) − J s → m (VA ) = e kT
⎢e − 1⎥
2 ⎣ ⎦

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 21
 Semiconductor to Metal Flux

Vbi −VA
q B
qΦ ns −q
J s → m (VA ) = −q e υth
n −
J m → s (VA ) = − q m e kT
υth kT
2 2
nsυth kT
qVbi qVA
−
= −q e × e kT
2
qΦ B
nmυth −
qVA

= −q e kT
e kT
2
q(Vbi‐VA)

EC-EF
VA

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 22
Total Flux…

qnmυth
− qΦ m
⎡ qVkkTTA ⎤
J T = J s → m (0) − J s → m (VA ) = e kT
⎢e − 1⎥
2 ⎣ ⎦

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 23
Diffusion vs. Thermionic Emission
Δn

Fn
Fp
Check that both gives the 
same result for a diode…
lt f di d

Fn
Fp

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 24
Conclusion

Schottky barrier diode is a majority carrier device of great 
historical importance. 

There are similarities and differences with p‐n junction diode: 
There are similarities and differences with p n junction diode:
for electrostatics, it behaves like a one‐sided diode, but 
current, the drift‐diffusion approach requires modification. 

The trap‐assisted current, avalanche breakdown, Zener 
tunneling all could be calculated in a manner very similar to 
junction diode. 

Alam  ECE‐606 S09 25