A High Schottky-Barrier of 1.1 eV Between Al and S-Passivated p-Type Si(100) Surface

Abstract

We report a high Schottky-barrier between Al and S-passivated p-type Si(100) surface. Capacitance-voltage measurements indicate a barrier height of 1.1 eV, while activation-energy measurements suggest 0.94-0.97 eV. Possible reasons for the discrepancy are proposed. The barrier height of 1.1 eV suggests degenerate inversion on the p-type Si surface, and Fermi statistics is used to describe its electrostatics. Although fabricated like a Schottky diode, this Al/S-passivated p-type Si(100) device works like a p-n junction diode. Temperature-dependent current-voltage measurements reveal that S passivation reduces the reverse saturation current of Al/p-type Si(100) diodes by over six orders of magnitude