Photoemissive Determination of Barrier Shape in Tunnel Junctions

Abstract

Tunnel junctions have been characterized
\nin terms of three parameters, the barrier
\nheights φ_1, and φ_2, and the width S, which generally
\nare determined by a fit of experimental
\ncurrent-voltage characteristic curves with theory.
\nIn metal-semiconductor systems barrier
\nheights have been determined independently
\nof other parameters from measurement of the
\nspectral dependence of photoresponse. We
\nwish to report the first results of the application
\nof this technique to the measurement of
\nthe barrier heights in Al-Al_2O_3-A1 and Al-A1_20_3—Au tunnel junctions where the Al_2O_3 thickness
\nis in the range of 20 to 40 Å .