Physics & Modelling of
Microelectronics Devices
(MEL G631 )
Arnab Hazra
Email: [email protected]
Module 02
Metal Semiconductor Contacts
Introduction
All integrated circuit communicate with rest of the
electrical system via-metal-semiconductor Contacts.
Major focus on Metal-Silicon contacts.
General nature of thermal equilibrium when metal and
semiconductor are in intimate contact.
MS-junction by Schottky Theory: Rectifying behavior and
Ohmic behavior.
Schottky theory may not adequate due to real nature of
the solid interface.
Equilibrium in electronic system
Metal –Semiconductor System
At thermal equilibrium the Fermi level is constant
throughout a system
Equilibrium in electronic system
Metal –Semiconductor System
Idealized metal-semiconductor
junction
Idealized metal-semiconductor junction
Idealized metal-semiconductor junction
Idealized metal-semiconductor junction
Under bias
Idealized metal-semiconductor junction
Under bias
Under reverse bias, space-charge density in the semiconductor increases from
its equilibrium value
With a small-signal ac bias added to the fixed dc bias Va, the junction shows a
capacitive behavior that can be calculated by using the above Equation
Where C represents capacitance per unit area.
For the total voltage across the junction, we obtain
1/C2 vs Applied bias
• A plot of the square of the reciprocal of the small-signal capacitance versus
the reverse bias voltage should be a straight line.
• Slope of the straight line can be used to obtain the doping in the
semiconductor,
• Intercept of the straight line with the voltage axis should equal φi.
Measurements of the small-signal capacitance are useful even in cases where the
semiconductor doping varies with distance.
Space charge in non-uniform doping
For a given dc (reverse) bias (Va < 0), the space-charge layer is of width Xd. A
small increase in the magnitude of Va causes a small increase in Qs where
Space charge in non-uniform doping
an increment in voltage dVa results in an increment in Qs of value
Problem 1
Schottky Barrier Lowering (or Image Force
Lowering)
The barrier height, φB
changes as a function
of bias voltage Va
This is because of the
presence of a good
conductor (metal)
modifies the electric
field near the metal
surface.
Can be modelled with
image charge method.
Schottky Barrier Lowering (or Image Force
Lowering)
Schottky Barrier Lowering (or Image
Force Lowering)
Current-Voltage (J-V) characteristics
Ideal Diode Equation
Schottky Barrier (Diffusion Model)
Mott Barrier (Non-uniform doping)
Current-Voltage (J-V) characteristics
Ideal Diode Equation
Currents are proportional to the density of electrons at boundary
Current-Voltage (J-V) characteristics
Schottky Barrier (Diffusion Model)
The dependence of current on applied voltage in a metal-semiconductor
junction can be obtained by integrating the equations for carrier diffusion
and drift across the depletion region near the contact
This approach, which was first used by Schottky.
Assume was the dimensions of this space-charge region are sufficiently
large so that the use of a diffusion constant and a mobility are meaningful
The width of the region is at least a few electronic mean-free paths and
that the field strength is less than that at which the drift velocity
saturates.
Current-Voltage (J-V) characteristics
Schottky Barrier (Diffusion Model)
Current-Voltage (J-V) characteristics
Schottky Barrier (Diffusion Model)
Current-Voltage (J-V) characteristics
Mott Barrier (Non-uniform doping)
Current-Voltage (J-V) characteristics
Ideal Diode Equation
Schottky Barrier (Diffusion Model)
Mott Barrier (Non-uniform doping)
Nonrectifying (Ohmic) contacts
In Schottky contact, majority carriers were limited in depletion
region as compared to the bulk. Also a barrier exists that was
responsible for maximum drop of voltage across the junction.
In Ohmic contact, junction itself offers a negligible resistance to
current flow compared to the bulk.
In is considered that all free carrier density at an Ohmic contact
are unchanged by current flow remain their thermal equilibrium
value.
Tunnel Contact
Schottky Ohmic Contact
Nonrectifying (Ohmic) contacts
Tunnel Contact
Nonrectifying (Ohmic) contacts
Schottky Ohmic Contact
For n-type semiconductor
𝑞𝜑𝑠 > 𝑞𝜑𝑀
For p-type semiconductor
𝑞𝜑𝑠 < 𝑞𝜑𝑀
The major difference was, in
interface, semiconductor
charge are free electrons
where as constant amount of
Distribution of space charge (n), positive donor ions are
electric field (Ex) and space charge locating in the barrier region
width (Xd) calculation as a function of in Schottky junction.
Debey length (LD) Electron concentrations are
𝜖 𝑘𝑇
𝐿𝐷 = 𝑞𝑠2𝑛 is called Debey length. LD gradually increase from bulk
𝑠 towards the interface in
is a qualitative measure to know how Ohmic junction
far the electrical effect persists from
boundary.
Nonrectifying (Ohmic) contacts
Schottky Ohmic Contact
Problem
Consider a Si- sample, initially having EF-Ei=0.36 eV at 300 K. Then, the Si-
sample is doped uniformly by boron impurity of concentration 6.5×1016 cm-3 to
develop an M-S junction with a metal having work function 4.5 eV. If the metal-
semiconductor junction is biased by a positive voltage of 8 V at metal w.r.t the
semiconductor. Consider cross-section of the junction as 10-5 cm2 to calculate
the current. (Ignore any tunneling possibility).
(a) Find the built in potential under thermal equilibrium.
(b) Find the barrier height under thermal equilibrium.
(c) Find the current in M-S junction under 8 V bias
(d) Find the amount of Schottky barrier lowering due to image force under 8 V
bias.
(e) Re-calculate the current in M-S junction considering image force lowering
under same bias (i.e. 8 V).
Surface Effect
Surface
Periodicity of crystal is stopped/broken
Don’t have sufficient neighboring atom to form bond
Incomplete bonds: Dangling bond
Unsatisfied bonds create energy states in energy gap
Wide variety of surface states.
Surface Effect
Density of surface states
Almost 2/3 of the atomic density.
The energy level of these surface states are not well known but is
believed to peak around EV+1/3 Eg in diamond crystal.
This applicable to many hetero interface like metal-semiconductor
interface.
Fermi Level Pinning in Schottky contact
Consider a rectifying
Schottky contact with large
density of surface states
The states lying above the EF
will be empty and below EF
will be occupied.
After formation of contact,
e- are flow from
semiconductor to metal
showing a band bending
near contact.
Number of e- produce by
surface states are enough to
reach equilibrium
Fermi Level position near
surface is only be
determined by surface states
not by the bulk doping.
