Diode Schottky: Electrical Characteristics and Modeling

This lecture discusses the Schottky diode, a metal-semiconductor junction with low doping. The instructor explains the structure, including the aluminum contact and the N+ region, and models it as a one-dimensional system. The energy band diagram is analyzed under equilibrium conditions, highlighting the depletion region and built-in potential. The impact of doping levels on the depletion width is examined, showing that higher doping leads to a narrower depletion zone. The instructor also covers the resistance characteristics of the Schottky diode, including contact resistance and series resistance, and how these affect the overall performance. The lecture includes calculations for current and voltage under different biasing conditions, demonstrating the diode's behavior in reverse and forward bias. The importance of minimizing series resistance for optimal diode performance is emphasized, along with the effects of tunneling in heavily doped regions. The lecture concludes with a discussion on the practical implications of these characteristics in semiconductor devices.