Temperature-Dependent <i>I</i>-<i>V</i> Characteristics of Schottky Diodes: A Comprehensive Review of Barrier Height, Ideality Factor, and Series Resistance
Schottky diodes are widely used in high-speed and high-temperature electronics owing to their low forward voltage drop and fast switching capabilities. However, temperature variation affects important electrical parameters such as the Schottky barrier height, ideality factor (n), and series resistance (Rs) owing to barrier inhomogeneity at the metal-semiconductor interface, enhanced carrier transport through localized low-barrier regions, temperature-induced changes in current distribution, etc. This can cause instability, lower efficiency, and reduced reliability in certain conditions. This cannot be eliminated completely; however, choosing the right metal that does not diffuse or react easily, using high-quality single-crystal low-defect semiconductors, and proper surface treatment can reduce those effects. This review summarizes reasons for the temperature-dependent current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of Schottky diodes, building on data from a wide range of past studies involving various metal-semiconductor combinations, besides a theoretical overview of Schottky diodes. Furthermore, we present a table that categorizes materials on the basis of their semiconductor material, which provides a clear view of their particular uses so that researchers can choose the right material combinations, improve knowledge of thermal behavior, design reliable Schottky devices according to challenging conditions, and also use this data to train artificial intelligence (AI) models to predict materials combinations for Schottky diodes that can operate in a specific temperature range as well as to predict the approximate barrier height (BH), ideality factor, and Rs.
- Journal
- JOURNAL OF ELECTRONIC MATERIALS
- Year
- 2025
- ISSN
- 0361-5235
- eISSN
- 1543-186X
- DOI
- 10.1007/s11664-025-12432-2
- WoS UID
- WOS:001588309900001