Current–Voltage Characteristics of Pt Metal-based and PtSi Silicide-based n -Si Schottky Diodes over a Wide Measuring Temperature Range

We have compared the I–V–T characteristics of the metal-based Pt/ n -Si and silicide-based PtSi/ n -Si Schottky barrier (SB) diodes in the temperature range of 40–320 K. The results revealed that the silicide-based diode (6.00 Ω at 40 K to 6.50 Ω at 320 K) has lower series resistance R s values than those of the metal-based diode (7.10 Ω at 40 K to 8.50 Ω at 320 K). Again, the SB height values of 0.806 eV and 0.875 eV for the metal-based and silicide-based SB diodes, respectively, have been obtained at 300 K, which are consistent with the values in the literature. The lower R s and higher SB height obtained for the silicide-based PtSi/ n -Si diode is a clear evidence for the use of the metal silicide instead of metal for the device performance and reliability in Si technology. Furthermore, the I–V curves of the silicide-based diode have shown a double slope separated by a transition segment at temperatures below 170 K.