Electronic Devices

KEEE 2224
Lecture 5
Metal-Semiconductor Junctions
Dr. Ghafour Amouzad Mahdiraji
October 2012

Step Potential Function

Assume a flux of particles is incident on the potential barrier.

Classical physics: particles are not absorbed or transmitted through the potential barrier.

Quantum physics: there is a finite probability that the incident particles will penetrate
the potential barrier and exist in region II. Since the reflection coefficient in region I is
unity, the particle in region II must eventually turn around and move back into region I.

The Potential Barrier & Tunneling

Classical physics: particles can not pass

potential barrier wall in Region II, therefore,
there is not particle in Region III.

Quantum physics: there is a finite

probability that a particle impinging a
potential barrier will penetrate the barrier and
will appear in region III. This phenomenon is
called tunneling.

The tunneling probability may appear

to be small value, but not zero.
If a large number of particles
impinging on potential barrier, a
significant number can penetrate
the barrier.

Fermi-Dirac Probability Function

EF is lower than EFi

in p-type and higher
than EFi in n-type.

Fermi Energy Level

The Fermi energy level in n-type is higher than the Fermi energy level in p-type.
Does the Fermi energy level change ever?

Effect of Impurity Concentration on Fermi

Energy Level

As the doping levels increase, the Fermi energy level moves closer to the conduction
band for the n-type material and closer to the valence band for the p-type material.
While, intrinsic Fermi energy level (EFi) is fixed.

Effect of Temperature on Fermi Energy Level for

Various Doping Concentration

Fermi Energy Level Balancing

If two different materials A and B with different number of electrons in the
allowed energy states, are brought into contact, the electrons in the entire
system will tend to seek the lowest possible energy.

Fermi Energy Level in pn Junction

Electrons from higher energy state

move into the lower energy state (like
connecting two water tanks with
different water levels).

Is it possible to make a device

with pn junction properties but
using only one of the junctions
(either p or n)?
Metal-Semiconductor Junctions

The Photoelectric Effect

A photon with sufficient energy, can knock an electron from the surface of the material.
The minimum energy required to remove an electron is called the work function of the
material and any excess photon energy goes into the kinetic energy of the photoelectron.

1
T = mv 2 = hv
2

E = hv

Where hv is the incident photon energy and is the

minimum energy or work function, required to remove an
electron from the surface of the material.

1
T = mv 2
2

Work Function of Different Materials

Schottky Barrier or Schottky Barrier Diode

An energy work function is required to remove an electron at the Fermi

level to the vacuum outside the metal.
When negative charges are brought near the metal surface, positive (image)
charges are induced in the metal.
When this image force is combined with an applied electric field (e.g. voltage
source), the effective work function is somewhat reduced.
Such barrier lowering is called the Schottky effect, and this terminology is
carried over to the discussion of potential barriers arising in metalsemiconductor contacts, and generally, rectifying contacts are referred to as
Schottky barrier diodes.

Metal-n-Semiconductor Junction

When a metal with work function of m is brought

in contact with a semiconductor having a work
function of s, charge transfer occurs until the
Fermi levels align at equilibrium.
Assuming m > s. This means, before
contact, the Fermi level in the
semiconductor is above that in the metal.
In order for the Fermi level to become a
constant through the system in thermal
equilibrium, electrons from the semiconductor
flow into the lower energy states in the metal.
Positively charged donor atoms remain in the
semiconductor, creating a space charge region.

Metal-n-Semiconductor Junction

The Schottky barrier B0 is the potential

barrier seen by electrons in the metal trying
to move into semiconductor, and given as:

B 0 = (m )
where is known as the electron affinity.

On the semiconductor side, Vbi is the built-in

potential barrier. This barrier, similar to the
case of the pn junction, is the barrier seen by
electrons in the conduction band trying to
move into the metal calculate as:

Vbi = B 0 n

Vbi is slight function of semiconductor doping

where n is potential difference between Ec and EF

Metal-n-Semiconductor Junction: Reverse Bias

If we apply a positive voltage to the semiconductor with respect to the metal, the
semiconductor-to-metal barrier height increases, while B0 is remains constant in
ideal case.

Metal-n-Semiconductor Junction: Forward Bias

If a positive voltage is applied to the metal with respect to the semiconductor, the
semiconductor-to-metal barrier Vbi is reduced while B0 again remains essentially
constant.
In this situation, electrons can more easily flow from the semiconductor into the
metal since the barrier has been reduced.
Unlike pn junction, the current mechanism here is due to the flow of majority carrier
electrons. In forward bias, the barrier seen by the elctrons in the semiconductor is
reduced, so majority carrier electrons flow more easily from the semiconductor into
the metal.

M-n-S Junction Properties

E=

eN d

( xn x )

s
Electric field in depletion region is
where s is the permittivity of the semiconductor (s = r 0),
e is electronic charge (C), Nd is density of donor impurity atoms (cm -3) .
E-field is a linear function of distance for the uniformly doped semiconductor, and
reaches a peak value at the metal-semiconductor interface.
Since E-field is zero inside the metal, a negative surface charge must exist in the
metal at the metal-semiconductor junction.

The space charge region width, W, for the uniformly

1/ 2
doped semiconductor is:
2 s (Vbi +VR )
W = xn =

eNd

where VR is the magnitude of the applied reversebiased voltage.

The potential difference (magnitude) between Ec

and EF calculate as:
kT N c

ln
n =
e

Nd

where Nc is the effective density of states function in

the conduction band (cm 3) .

Example:

Determine the theoretical barrier height, built-in potential barrier, and maximum
electric field in a metal-semiconductor diode for zero applied bias. Consider a contact
between tungsten and n-type silicon doped to Nd = 1016 cm -3 T = 300 K.

Schottky Barrier Diode and pn Junction Diode

Comparison

The current in a pn junction is determined by the diffusion of minority carriers while

the current in a Schottky barrier diode is determined by thermionic emission of
majority carriers over a potential barrier.
eDnnpo eDp pno
Js =
+
Ln
Lp
eBn
J sT = A*T 2 exp

kT

Another difference between a Schottky

barrier diode and a pn junction is in the
frequency response or switching
characteristics. A typical switching time
for a Schottky diode is in the picosecond
range, while for a pn junction it is in the
nanosecond range.