The effect of contact junctions on thermally stimulated depolarization current in thin semiconductor films

Abstract

The effect of interfacial conditions on the behaviour of thermally stimulated depolarization (TSD) currents in thin-film metal–semiconductor–metal structures has been investigated. It is revealed that at blocking junctions additional TSD peaks can appear. The appearance of TSD peaks is related to the injection of free charge carriers into the semiconductor from an electrode through the energy barrier. It is shown that such an injection can cause a change in the current sign at the TSD peak. This current inversion is determined by the relation between the energy barriers at both electrodes and by the positions of donor levels in the semiconductor.