A new method to observing negative capacitance phenomena in semiconductor materials

Abstract

The negative capacitance phenomenon represents a specific nonlinear dielectric response within semiconductor materials. Grounded on the concept of steady-state response current decomposition, we propose “time-domain instantaneous C-V measurement” as a novel method for observing the negative capacitance phenomenon in semiconductor materials. The fundamental principles of this method are presented, and we conducted a systematic study on the negative capacitance phenomenon of zinc oxide varistor by adopting this new method. A theoretical analysis of the distinctions and connections between this new method and the currently prevailing C-V measurement technique is provided. The experimental results confirm that the new method enables accurate observation of the negative capacitance phenomenon in semiconductor materials and significantly reduces testing time, thereby holding substantial potential for broader applications.