The effect of cadmium impurities in the (PVP-TeO2) interlayer in Al/p-Si (MS) Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs): Exploring its electrophysical parameters

Al/p-Si (MS) type SBDs with/without (PVP-TeO2: Cd) interfacial layer was fabricated in the same conditions to investigate Cd impurities on its electrophysical parameters using I-V and Z-f measurements. Structural and optical properties of the (TeO2: Cd) nanostructures were characterized using XRD, FE-SEM, EDX, and UV-Vis techniques. The existence of Cd impurities and formation of TeO2 nanostructures was confirmed by EDX and XRD techniques, respectively. The values of barrier height (phi B0), ideality factor (n), series resistance (Rs) were derived from the IF-VF data as 0.65 eV, 5.60, 4.80 k omega for MS and 0.54 eV, 4.83, 0.27 k omega for MPS SBD, respectively. The energy-dependent profile of surface states (Nss) was also extracted from IF-VF data by assuming voltage dependent of BH and n. The existence of impurities in the interlayer leads to a decrease of n, Rs, phi B0, but an increase of leakage current, rectifying ratio (IF/IR), and conductivity.

Automated summary

In this study, Al/p-Si (MS) type SBDs with/without (PVP-TeO2: Cd) interfacial layer were fabricated to investigate the impact of Cd impurities on electrophysical parameters. The structural and optical properties of the nanostructures were characterized using various techniques. The presence of Cd impurities was found to decrease certain parameters while increasing others.