TY - JOUR
T1 - Analysis of Temperature-Dependent Characteristics of Cr/P-Doped Si Schottky Barrier Diodes before and after 5.4 MeV 241Am Irradiation
AU - Omotoso, E.
AU - Meyer, W. E.
AU - Sheppard, C. J.
AU - Igumbor, E.
AU - Prinsloo, A. R.E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2026 The Author(s). physica status solidi (a) applications and materials science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.
PY - 2026/1
Y1 - 2026/1
N2 - Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) based on chromium contacts on n-type silicon (Cr/n-Si) were fabricated using electron beam deposition and systematically characterised before and after 5.4 MeV alpha-particles from a 241Am source at a fluence of 1.3 × 1010 cm−2. Temperature-dependent current–voltage (IV) and capacitance–voltage (CV) measurements from 60 to 300 K revealed strong temperature and irradiation influence on Cr/n-Si SBD parameters. The reverse leakage current decreased at lower temperatures, indicating suppressed activity of deep-level defects. Alpha-particle irradiation introduced barrier height inhomogeneities and caused a slight deviation in the modified Richardson constant from the theoretical value for n-Si (112 A.cm−2.K−2). Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) confirmed the introduction of additional electrically active defects after irradiation. Despite these changes, the diodes maintained stable rectifying behaviour, demonstrating their potential of Cr/n-Si SBDs for use in radiation-hardened and cryogenic electronic applications.
AB - Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) based on chromium contacts on n-type silicon (Cr/n-Si) were fabricated using electron beam deposition and systematically characterised before and after 5.4 MeV alpha-particles from a 241Am source at a fluence of 1.3 × 1010 cm−2. Temperature-dependent current–voltage (IV) and capacitance–voltage (CV) measurements from 60 to 300 K revealed strong temperature and irradiation influence on Cr/n-Si SBD parameters. The reverse leakage current decreased at lower temperatures, indicating suppressed activity of deep-level defects. Alpha-particle irradiation introduced barrier height inhomogeneities and caused a slight deviation in the modified Richardson constant from the theoretical value for n-Si (112 A.cm−2.K−2). Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) confirmed the introduction of additional electrically active defects after irradiation. Despite these changes, the diodes maintained stable rectifying behaviour, demonstrating their potential of Cr/n-Si SBDs for use in radiation-hardened and cryogenic electronic applications.
KW - alpha-particle irradiation
KW - chromium
KW - electron beam deposition
KW - Richardson constant
KW - Schottky barrier diode
KW - silicon
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105028415495
U2 - 10.1002/pssa.202500690
DO - 10.1002/pssa.202500690
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105028415495
SN - 1862-6300
VL - 223
JO - Physica Status Solidi (A) Applications and Materials Science
JF - Physica Status Solidi (A) Applications and Materials Science
IS - 2
M1 - e202500690
ER -