Zr/oxidized diamond interface for high power Schottky diodes

High forward current density of 10(3) A/cm(2) (at 6 V) and a breakdown field larger than 7.7 MV/cm for diamond diodes with a pseudo-vertical architecture, are demonstrated. The power figure of merit is above 244 MW/cm(2) and the relative standard deviation of the reverse current density over 83 diodes is 10% with a mean value of 10(-9) A/cm(2). These results are obtained with zirconium as Schottky contacts on the oxygenated (100) oriented surface of a stack comprising an optimized lightly boron doped diamond layer on a heavily boron doped one, epitaxially grown on a Ib substrate. The origin of such performances are discussed. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.