Thermal influence on the current–voltage characteristics of TiN/Al2O3/p-Si MIS devices for emerging nanotechnology applications

This study investigates the current–voltage (I–V) characteristics of a Schottky Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor (MIS) structure, specifically featuring a titanium nitride (TiN) electrode interfaced with p-type silicon (p-Si) and a high-k aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) layer with a thickness of 17 nm, enabling a detailed analysis of its influence on device performance. Conducted over a temperature range of 270 to 450 K, the research employs thermionic emission (TE) theory to extract critical electrical parameters, including reverse saturation current (I₀), ideality factor (n), zero bias barrier height (\(\Phi_{B0}\)), series resistance (Rs) and rectification rate (RR). The analysis reveals a mean barrier height (BH) of 0.274 eV and a Richardson constant (A*) of 42.19 A (cm K)⁻¹, both of which closely align with theoretical predictions for p-type silicon, suggesting that the thermionic emission mechanism, characterised by a Gaussian distribution of barrier heights, effectively describes the I–V–T behaviour of the fabricated Schottky structure. These findings elucidate the complex interplay between temperature and diode performance, offering significant insights for the optimisation and design of thermally-sensitive electronic devices leveraging this advanced Schottky MIS configuration.