In this letter, the conduction mechanism through epitaxial nickel oxide (NiO) dielectric films grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition on AlGaN/GaN heterostructures was investigated. In particular, macroscopic current-voltage measurements carried out at different temperatures allowed to demonstrate that Poole-Frenkel (PF) mechanism rules the conduction through the dielectric layer, with an emission barrier of 0.2 eV. Conductive atomic force microscopic measurements were carried out to directly image the presence of preferential current spots on the NiO surface, which have been correlated to the defects responsible for the PF emission.
REFERENCES
1.
Wide Band Gap Electronic Devices
, edited by F.
Ren
and J. C.
Zolper
(World Scientific
, Singapore
, 2003
).2.
O.
Ambacher
, J.
Smart
, J. R.
Shealy
, N. G.
Weimann
, K.
Chu
, M.
Murphy
, W. J.
Schaff
, L. F.
Eastman
, R.
Dimitrov
, L.
Wittmer
, M.
Stutzmann
, W.
Rieger
, and J.
Hilsenbeck
, J. Appl. Phys.
85
, 3222
(1999
).3.
T.
Kikkawa
, K.
Makiyama
, T.
Ohku
, M.
Kanamura
, K.
Imanishi
, N.
Hara
, and K.
Joshin
, Phys. Status Solidi A
206
, 1135
(2009
).4.
Y. C.
Chang
, M. L.
Huang
, Y. H.
Chang
, Y. J.
Lee
, H. C.
Chiu
, J.
Kwo
, and M.
Hong
, Microelectron. Eng.
88
, 1207
(2011
).5.
K.
Matocha
, T. P.
Chow
, and R. J.
Gutmann
, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices
52
, 6
(2005
).6.
Z. H.
Liu
, G. I.
Ng
, S.
Arulkumaran
, Y. K. T.
Maung
, K. L.
Teo
, S. C.
Foo
, and V.
Sahmuganathan
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
95
, 223501
(2009
).7.
J. S.
Jur
, V. D.
Wheeler
, D. J.
Lichtenwalner
, J.-P.
Maria
, and M. A. L.
Johnson
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
98
, 042902
(2011
).8.
P.
Kordoš
, R.
Stoklas
, D.
Gregušová
, and J.
Novák
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
94
, 223512
(2009
).9.
J.-K.
Ho
, C.-S.
Jong
, C. C.
Chiu
, C.-N.
Huang
, K.-K.
Shin
, L.-C.
Chen
, F.-R.
Chen
, and J.-J.
Kai
, J. Appl. Phys.
86
, 4491
(1999
).10.
H.-L.
Chen
, Y.-M.
Lu
, and W.-S.
Hwang
, Surf. Coat. Technol.
198
, 138
(2005
).11.
N.
Kaneko
, O.
Machida
, M.
Yanagihara
, S.
Iwakami
, R.
Baba
, H.
Goto
, and A.
Iwabuchi
, in Proceedings of the 21st International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices & IC's (ISPSD), 14–18 June 2009
(IEEE, 2009
), pp. 25
–28
, DOI: .12.
F.
Roccaforte
, R.
Lo Nigro
, G.
Greco
, P.
Fiorenza
, V.
Raineri
, and G.
Malandrino
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
100
, 063511
(2012
).13.
F.
Roccaforte
, F.
Iucolano
, F.
Giannazzo
, A.
Alberti
, and V.
Raineri
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
89
, 022103
(2006
).14.
F.
Iucolano
, F.
Roccaforte
, F.
Giannazzo
, and V.
Raineri
, J. Appl. Phys.
104
, 093706
(2008
).15.
P.
Fiorenza
, R.
Lo Nigro
, V.
Raineri
, S.
Lombardo
, R. G.
Toro
, G.
Malandrino
, and I. L.
Fragalà
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
87
, 231913
(2005
).16.
A.
Fontserè
, A.
Pérez-Tomás
, V.
Banu
, P.
Godignon
, J.
Millán
, H.
De Vleeschouwer
, J. M.
Parsey
, and P.
Moens
, in Proceedings of 24th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and Ics (ISPSD)
, Bruges, Belgium, 3–7 June 2012
.17.
E. H.
Rhoderick
and R. H.
Williams
, Metal-Semiconductor Contacts
(Oxford Science
, Oxford
, 1988
).18.
H.
Zhang
, E. J.
Miller
, and E. T.
Yu
, J. Appl. Phys.
99
, 023703
(2006
).19.
P.
Fiorenza
, R.
Lo Nigro
, V.
Raineri
, S.
Lombardo
, R. G.
Toro
, G.
Malandrino
, and I. L.
Fragalà
, J. Appl. Phys.
98
, 044312
(2005
).20.
S. P.
Grabowski
, M.
Schneider
, H.
Nienhaus
, W.
Mönch
, R.
Dimitrov
, O.
Ambacher
, and M.
Stutzmann
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
78
, 2503
(2001
).21.
P.
Fiorenza
and V.
Raineri
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
88
, 212112
(2006
).22.
F.
Iucolano
, F.
Roccaforte
, F.
Giannazzo
, and V.
Raineri
, J. Appl. Phys.
102
, 113701
(2007
).© 2012 American Institute of Physics.
2012
American Institute of Physics
You do not currently have access to this content.
