Electrical and microstructural analyses of 200 MeV Ag14+ ion irradiated Ni/GaN Schottky barrier diode

Abstract

Ni/GaN Schottky barrier diodes were irradiated with 200 MeV Ag ions up to fluence of 1 × 1011 ions/cm2. The current-voltage measurements showed that the ideality factor, n, increased and the reverse leakage current, IR, decreased with increase in fluence. But, Schottky barrier height increased only marginally with increase in fluence. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy images revealed the presence of defect clusters in bulk GaN after irradiation. However, the Ni/GaN interface did not show any intermixing or degradation after the irradiation.