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Band-Tails Tunneling Resolving the Theory-Experiment Discrepancy in Esaki Diodes

Journal Contribution - Journal Article

© 2013 IEEE. Discrepancies exist between the theoretically predicted and experimentally measured performance of band-to-band tunneling devices, such as Esaki diodes and tunnel field-effect transistors (TFETs). We resolve this discrepancy for highly-doped, direct-bandgap Esaki diodes by successfully calibrating a semi-classical model for high-doping-induced ballistic band-tails tunneling currents at multiple temperatures with two In0.53Ga0.47As Esaki diodes using their SIMS doping profiles, C-V characteristics and their forward-bias current density in the negative differential resistance (NDR) regime. The current swing in the NDR regime is shown not to be linked to the band-tails Urbach energy. We further demonstrate theoretically that the calibrated band-tails contribution is also the dominant band-tails contribution to the subthreshold swing of the corresponding TFETs. Lastly, we verify that the presented procedure is applicable to all direct-bandgap semiconductors by successfully applying it to InAs Esaki diodes in literature.
Journal: IEEE Journal of the Electron Devices Society
ISSN: 2168-6734
Issue: 1
Volume: 6
Pages: 633 - 641
Publication year:2018
BOF-keylabel:yes
IOF-keylabel:yes
BOF-publication weight:1
CSS-citation score:1
Authors from:Government, Higher Education
Accessibility:Open