In this paper, the influence of high-temperature sputtering on the nitrogen-doped (N-doped) LaB6 thin film formation utilizing RF sputtering was investigated. The N-doped LaB6/SiO2/p-Si(100) MOS diode and N-doped LaB6/p-Si(100) of Schottky diode were fabricated. A 30 nm thick N-doped LaB6 thin film was deposited from room temperature (RT) to 150°C. It was found that the resistivity was decreased from 1.5 mΩcm to 0.8 mΩcm by increasing deposition temperature from RT to 150°C. The variation of work function was significantly decreased in case that N-doped LaB6 thin film deposited at 150°C. Furthermore, Schottky characteristic was observed by increasing deposition temperature to 150°C. In addition, the crystallinity of N-doped LaB6 thin film was improved by increasing deposition temperature.

For a development of energy harvesting system, the fact of radio waves and ambient RF (Radio Frequency) sources, including passive devices along with novel circuits, are very closely related to mobile charging devices and energy storage system. The use of schottky diode and voltage multiplier circuits to express on the ambient RF sources surrounding the system is one way that has seen a sudden rise in use for energy harvesting. Practically speaking, the RF and ambient sources can be provided by active and passive devices such as inductors, capacitors, diode, etc. In this paper, we present a schottky based voltage multiplier circuits for mobile charging device which integrate the power generation module with radio wave generation module. We also discuss that multi-stage schematic, e.g., three-stage schottky diode based voltage multiplier circuits, for a continuing effort on energy harvesting system.

The design, fabrication and characterization of GaN based varactor diodes are presented. MOCVD was used for layer growth and the DC characteristic of 4 µm diameter diodes showed a turn-on voltage of 0.5 V, a breakdown voltage of 21 V and a modulation ratio of 1.63. High frequency characterization allowed obtaining the diode equivalent circuit and observed the bias dependence of the series resistance. The diode cutoff frequency was 900 GHz. A large-signal model was developed for the diode and the device power performance was evaluated. A power of 7.2 dBm with an efficiency of 16.6% was predicted for 47 GHz to 94 GHz doubling.

Current density-voltage (J-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics of P3HT/n--silicon heterojunction diodes were investigated to clarify the carrier conduction mechanism at the organic/inorganic heterojunction. The J-V characteristics of the P3HT/n--Si junctions can be explained by a Schottky diode model with an interfacial layer. Diode parameters such as Schottky barrier height and ideality factor were estimated to be 0.78 eV and 3.2, respectively. The C-V analysis suggests that the depletion layer appears in the n--Si layer with a thickness of 1.2 µm from the junction with zero bias and the diffusion potential was estimated at 0.40 eV at the open-circuit condition. The present heterojunction allows a photovoltaic operation with power conversion efficiencies up to 0.38% with a simulated solar light exposure of 100 mW/cm2. The forward bias current was enhanced by coating the Si surface with a SiC layer, where the ideality factor was improved to be the level of 1.451.50.

Electrical characteristics of P3HT/Aluminum organic/ inorganic heterojunction diodes were investigated V-I and capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements. The V-I measurement exhibited current rectification inherent in the Schottky diode, suggesting their availabilities as rectification diodes in organic flexible circuits. C-V analysis indicated the fact that the depletion layer was generated in the P3HT film in the reversed bias condition. The flat band voltage analysis suggested that the interfacial charge affected the built-in potential of the diodes. Al/P3HT heterojunction is possible to be used as not only the rectification diodes but also gate junctions for junction type field effect or static induction transistors.

Pt Schottky diode gas sensors for carbon monoxide (CO) were fabricated using slightly Si doped bulk GaN grown on sapphire substrate. The influence of diode size, Pt thickness, operating temperature on gas sensitivity was investigated. CO sensitivity was improved six times by optimizing the size and thickness of the Pt contact. Surface restructuring and morphology changes of Pt film were observed after thermal annealing. These changes are enhanced as the film thickness is reduced further and contribute to improve CO sensitivity.

Sensing elements based on AlGaN/GaN HEMT and Schottky diode structures have been investigated in relation with the strain sensitivity of their characteristics. Piezoresistance of the Al0.3Ga0.7N/GaN HEMT-channel as well as changes in the current-voltage characteristics of the Schottky diodes have been observed with gauge factor (GF) values ranging between 19 and 350 for the selected biasing conditions. While a stable response to strain was measured, the observed temperature dependence of the channel resistance demonstrates the need for a systematic characterisation of the sensor properties to allow compensation of the observed temperature effects.

In this paper, we have proposed to apply a combinatorial approach to investigate the Schottky diode based on electrochemically polymerized conjugated polymer. The concept of combinatorial approach was emerged in the biochemical field and lately used in the materials science to screen a number of experimental conditions efficiently. Some tips for designing the polymerization bath suitable for our purpose, such as the way to suppress the interference of polymerization currents, have been described. In the case of Schottky diodes based on poly (3-methylthiophene), the system chosen to test our idea, the effects of polymer thickness and the supporting salt on the device characteristics have been surveyed clearly and rapidly. The map or library of the relationship between the polymerization condition and device characteristic may be useful to tune the device characteristics as desired. Our preliminary result has shown that the combinatorial approach proposed here can be a powerful tool to investigate the conjugated polymer devices by electrochemical polymerization such as electrochromic devices.

A device structure for polymer Schottky diode, which has the glass chimney as a dopant reservoir enabling the reduction of series resistance without cathode corrosion, has been proposed. Doping with the acetonitrile solution of FeCl3 in the device resulted in the increase in the forward-bias current by one order of magnitude without notable increase in reverse-bias current, suggesting that the doping reduced the series resistance. It is found that the penetration speed depends on the solvents. Short time doping with the nitromethane solution of FeCl3 resulted in the increase by three orders of magnitude. However, doping for a long period yielded the considerable increase in the reverse-bias current due to the complete penetration of dopatn solution. When the upper opening of glass chimney of device is left opened and the sample after doping stored in air, the forward-bias current of the device reduced rapidly due to the undoping and/or degradation of polymer. It is possible to protect the degradation of device characteristics after doping, by sealing the chimney and storing the device in vacuum.

As new applications of THz waves emerge, new active and passive components need to be developed. The efficiency of wave guiding systems can be significantly increased with the use of MEMS approaches as well as with the development of new planar antenna concepts with high bunching properties. Generation of sufficient THz power relies on new active devices like Heterostructure Barrier Varactors and cascaded quantum structures, but also in the optimisation of new generation concepts. One of these is photomixing in non-linear materials with very short carrier lifetimes, like low-temperature-grown GaAs.

Schottky gas sensors of CO were fabricated using high quality AlGaN/GaN/Si heterostructures. The CO sensors show good sensitivity in the temperature range of 250 to 300 (530%, at 160 ppm CO in N2) and fast response comparable with SnO2 sensors. A two-region linear regime was observed for the dependence of sensitivity on CO concentration. GaN sensors on Si substrate offer the possibility of integration with Si based electronics. The gas sensors show slow response with time, the change of material properties possibly in the presence of large thermal stress.