Generalized approach to the parameter extraction from I - V characteristics of Schottky diodes
Two approaches for Schottky barrier parameter evaluation are presented and compared. The first method extracts the barrier height, the ideality factor and the series resistance also for the structures that have no linear part in the forward direction of the curve. This enables one to take into consideration also the reverse part of I - V curves that is normally omitted and the information lost. The second, more general, approach takes into account an inhomogeneity of the Schottky barrier and extracts the parameters of the barrier height distribution. It is shown that for this case it is possible to substitute the ideality factor, which is a non-physical parameter, by a barrier height distribution with the mean value and the standard deviation . Using this method a single I - V measurement is sufficient for determining the barrier height distribution.