Transient currents in pulsed metal–oxide–semiconductor tunnel diodes

Abstract

Articles you may be interested inInvestigation on edge fringing effect and oxide thickness dependence of inversion current in metal-oxidesemiconductor tunneling diodes with comb-shaped electrodes Lifetime-limited current in Cu-gate metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors subjected to bias thermal stress J. Appl. Phys. 99, 034504 (2006); 10.1063/1.2168034 Carrier lifetime measurement on electroluminescent metal-oxide-silicon tunneling diodes Hot carrier recombination model of visible electroluminescence from metal-oxide-silicon tunneling diodes Modeling tunneling and generation mechanisms governing the nonequilibrium transient in pulsed metal-oxide-semiconductor diodesThe effect of tunneling currents on the transient from deep depletion towards equilibrium in thin oxide metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors was experimentally investigated. Very thin oxide samples exhibit similar transients for both p-and n-type substrates. This symmetry breaks down for oxide thicknesses of more than 3.5 nm. Three qualitatively different behavior patterns, depending on the oxide thickness, can be identified by the current transient curves for the n-type substrate samples. From an analysis of the associated currents, the three patterns correspond to dominance by the minority carrier tunneling, dominance by the majority carrier tunneling, and enhanced generation through impact ionization.

Relaxation into tunnel induced nonequilibrium states in metal-oxide semiconductor structures

“…The transient currents of a pulsed MOS diode into depletion can be classified, as was shown in a recent work [5], in three different behavior patterns, as follows. a) Dominance of the current by minority carrier tunneling.…”

“…The measured current in the external circuit after applying a reverse voltage step to an n-MOS diode is given by [5] …”

“…It is assumed, for the methods to be applicable, that the transient ends in the thermal equilibrium state. The presence of tunneling currents alters this behavior, affecting the transient to yield a steady state different from thermal equilibrium [1][2][3][4][5].…”

Modeling tunneling and generation mechanisms governing the nonequilibrium transient in pulsed metal–oxide–semiconductor diodes

“…The presence of tunneling currents alters this behavior, modifying the transient to yield a steady state distinct from thermal equilibrium. 6 An exact formulation of the addressed problem requires coupling the Poisson equation, continuity equations for holes and electrons, and complete expressions for the pair generation process, tunneling, and impact ionization. An integral treatment for the continuity equations, as used in this work, leads to a single differential equation describing the evolution towards equilibrium.…”

“…͑iii͒ Thicker oxides on n substrates, for which the impact ionization mechanism removes the limit imposed to the current by supplying minority carriers. 6 The model was tested reproducing experimental results in the three regimes, and was used to analyze the dependence of each type of behavior on the thickness and generation parameters.…”