The importance of the neutral region resistance for the calculation of the interface state in Pb/p-Si Schottky contacts

We have fabricated H-terminated Pb/p-type Si Schottky contacts with and without the native oxide layer to explain the importance of the fact that the neutral region resistance value is considered in calculating the interface state density distribution from the nonideal forward bias current–voltage (I–V) characteristics. The diodes with the native oxide layer (metal–insulating layer–semiconductor (MIS)) showed nonideal I–V behavior with an ideality factor value of 1.310 and the barrier height value of 0.746eV. An ideality factor value of 1.065 and a barrier height value of 0.743eV were obtained for the diodes without the native oxide layer (MS). At the same energy position near the top of the valance band, the calculated interface states density (Nss) values, obtained without taking into account the series resistance of the devices (i.e. without subtracting the voltage drop across the series resistance from the applied voltage values V) is almost one order of magnitude larger than Nss values obtained by taking into account the series resistance.