Reverse-bias leakage current mechanisms in Cu/n-type schottky junction using oxygen plasma treatment

Temperature dependent reverse-bias current-voltage (I-V) characteristics in Cu Schottky contacts to oxygen plasma treated n-InP were investigated. For untreated sample, current transport mechanisms at low and high temperatures were explained by thermionic emission (TE) and TE combined with barrier lowering, respectively. For plasma treated sample, experimental I-V data were explained by TE or TE combined with barrier lowering models at low and high temperatures. However, the current transport was explained by a thermionic field emission (TFE) model at intermediate temperatures. From X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) measurements, phosphorus vacancies (VP) were suggested to be generated after oxygen plasma treatment. V_P possibly involves defects contributing to the current transport at intermediate temperatures. Therefore, minimizing the generation of these defects after oxygen plasma treatment is required to reduce the reverse-bias leakage current.