6.720J/3.

43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-1

Lecture 19 - Metal-Semiconductor Junction

(cont.)
March 19, 2007
Contents: 1. Schottky diode 2. Ohmic contact Reading assignment: del Alamo, Ch. 7, 7.3-7.5

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-2

Key questions
What is the basic structure of a Schottky diode? What are its most important parasitics? What are key technological constraints in the design and fabri cation of Schottky diodes? How are Schottky diodes modeled for circuit design? How do Schottky diodes switch? What sets their time response? What does one have to do for a metal-semiconductor junction to become an ohmic contact? Why do ohmic contacts look as S = for minority carriers?

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-3

1. Schottky diode Key uniqueness: fast switching from ON to OFF and back. Widely used: in analog circuits: in track and hold circuits in A/D converters, pin drivers of IC test equipment in communications and radar applications: as detectors and mix ers, also as varactors Technological constraint: Schottky diodes engineered using process modules developed for other circuit elements demands resource fulness and imagination from device designer. Typical implementations:
ohmic contact Schottky junction ohmic contact

Schottky metal

n n+

n+

n+

semi-insulating GaAs p

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-4

Parasitics Series resistance due to QNR ohmic drop Voltage across junction is reduced and I-V characteristics modied: I = IS [exp q (V IRs ) 1] kT

ideal with series resistance I log |I| IRs 1/Rs

0 semilogarithmic scale

linear scale

Rs bad because: for given forward current, V increased and harder to control it degrades dynamic response of diode

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-5

Substrate capacitance

Is n n+ Rs

n+

parasitic substrate p-n diode

Also degrades dynamics of diode.

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-6

Equivalent circuit models

Rs = Is Q rd

Rs

a) general

b) small-signal

General model:
Ideal diode in parallel with capacitor and in series with resistor.
Ideal diode is element with exponential I-V characteristics
I = IS (exp and no capacitance. qV 1) kT

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-7

Small-signal model: In many analog and communications circuits, Schottky diode is bi ased in some way and then a small signal is applied on top of bias interested in response to small signal Linearize general model:

I + i = IS [exp

q (V + v ) 1] kT qV qv q (I + IS ) IS [exp (1 + ) 1] = I + v kT kT kT

For small signal, diode looks like resistor of dynamic resistance: rd = kT q (I + IS )

In forward bias, rd only a function of I : rd In reverse bias, rd . kT qI

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-8

Circuit CAD model (such as SPICE) In general, no specic Schottky diode model exists; p-n diode model is used. Dierent models exist with dierent topologies. All of them described by model parameters (determined by device engineers). Current in simplest model: ID = IS A(exp with: A relative area of modeled device and characterized device and
XTI T q EG 1 1 IS = IS exp[ ( )] TM k T TM

qVj 1) NkT

Capacitance: C =A CJO
j M (1 VJ )

Additional models exist for breakdown, noise, additional leakage cur rents, other temperature eects, etc.

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-9

Summary of model parameters in simplest model: name IS N EG RS CJO VJ M XTI TT BV parameter description units ideal value A saturation current 1 ideality factor V Schottky barrier height series resistance F zero bias depletion capacitance V built-in potential 0.5 grading coecient 2 saturation current temperature exponent s 0 transit time V breakdown voltage

All models should account for parasitic substrate pn diode:

Is n n+ Rs

n+

parasitic substrate p-n diode

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-10

Breakdown In reverse bias, as |V | |Emax| At a high-enough voltage, avalanche breakdown takes place break down voltage
I
1000

Si 300 K

breakdown voltage (V)

100

BV V

10 1E+15

1E+16

1E+17
-3

1E+18

doping level (cm )

Computation of BV: Triggering current: IS (all electron current for SBD on n-type semiconductor). Computation diculty: E non-uniform in SCR. For moderate doping levels, BV function of ND alone
(independent of Bn):

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-11

Technology, layout and design considerations

Often, no special metal is available ohmic metal must be used Premature breakdown may occur at edges of diodes. Premature breakdown mitigation requires edge engineering:
high field at edge direct edge contact n metal overlap
n
moat n guard ring

p n

If p guard ring used, must make sure that p-n junction never turns on. In essence, this is a 2D or 3D problem.

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-12

Design issues:

log |I| If

IS

BV

Vf

Metal selection: Bn Vf (for xed If ) IS more T sensitivity Doping level selection: ND Rs C BV Vertical extension of QNR: minimum value of t required to deliver BV (beyond that, Rs ) Diode area: Aj C IS Rs Vf (for xed If ) more expensive

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-13

Dynamics Uniqueness of Schottky diodes: they switch fast! Large-signal example:

V Vf I
+

0 t Vr

V
-

Vf

Vr

I RsC 0 RsC t

-switch-o transient: C charges up through Rs

time constant: RsC
-switch-on transient: C discharges through Rs
time constant: RsC
for fast switching minimize Rs and C

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-14

Switch-o transient:
I Rs If(Vf)
+ +

I Rs
-

Vf-IfRs-Vr
+

Vf-IfRs
-

Vf

Vf-IfRs
-

Vr

t=0-

t=0+

I (0) = If (Vf )

I (0+) = (

V f Vr If ) Rs

note: in this notation, Vr is negative

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-15

Switch-on transient:
I Rs Rs
+

Vf-Vr
+ +

Vr
-

Vr

Vr
-

Vf

t=0-

t=0+

I (0 ) = Is

I (0+) =

V f Vr Rs

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-16

HSPICE example of large-signal switching: SPICE Exercise: Vf = 0.45 V , Vr = 3 V . Diode model parameters: IS= 5.5e 13, N= 1.03, EG= 0.89, RS= 11, CJO= 3.24e 13, VJ= 0.5, M= 0.339, XTI= 2, and TT= 0.
0.4 0.3 0.2 current (A) 0.1 4 ps 0.0 -0.1 -0.2 -0.3 -0.4 0.0E+00 2 ps

5.0E-12

1.0E-11

1.5E-11

2.0E-11

2.5E-11

time (s)

parameter SPICE hand calculation off 4 ps 7.8 ps on 2 ps 1.9 ps Ir (pk ) 0.31 A 0.31 A If (pk ) 0.30 A 0.31 A

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-17

2. Ohmic contact
Ohmic contacts: means of electrical communication with outside world. Key requirement: very small resistance to carrier ow back and forth between metal and semiconductor. Ohmic contact = MS junction with large JS V small linearize I-V characteristics: J AT 2 exp qBn qV V = kT kT c

Figure of merit for ohmic contacts: c ohmic contact resistivity ( cm2 ) Good values: c 107 cm2

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-18

How does one make a good ohmic contact? Classically, use metal that yields small qBn Increase ND until carrier tunneling is possible

Ev EF Ec EF

Ev Efe Ec Efh

Ev Efe Ec Efh

ohmic contact to n-type semiconductor

ohmic contact to p-type semiconductor

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-19

Experimental measurements in n-Si:

Image removed due to copyright restrictions. Specific contact resistivity versus Nd graph. Swirhun, Stanley Edward. "Characterization of Majority and Minority Carrier Transport in Heavily Doped Silicon." PhD diss., Stanford University, 1987. 340 pages.

Ohmic contact resistance: Rc = Ac Rc

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c Ac

6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-20

Justify two assumptions made earlier about ohmic contacts: 1) Through a good ohmic contact, outside battery grabs ma jority carrier quasi-Fermi level. In good ohmic contact, Rc is very small V very small negligible dierence in Ef across M-S interface. 2) S = at ohmic contact Strong electric eld at M-S interface sucks minority carriers towards it where they recombine:

Ef

Ec Efe

Efh Ev

In vicinity of ohmic contact, negligible concentration of excess minority carriers.

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-21

Key conclusions
Main parasitics of Schottky diode: series resistance and sub strate capacitance. Ideal BV of Schottky diode entirely set by doping level. Junction edge eects in Schottky diode may cause premature reverse breakdown. No minority carrier storage in Schottky diode fast switching. Dominant time constant of Schottky diode: Rs C . Typical design goals for Schottky diode: small time constant, high forward conduction, low reverse conduction, high break down voltage and small area. All without a dedicated process! Good ohmic contacts fabricated by increasing doping level carrier tunneling. c, specic contact resistance (in cm2 ), proper gure of merit for ohmic contact. Order of magnitude of key parameters in Si at 300K : Desired specic contact resistance: c < 107 cm2 (de pends on metal and doping level).

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6.720J/3.43J - Integrated Microelectronic Devices - Spring 2007

Lecture 19-22

Self study Small-signal dynamics of Schottky diode

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