High-Performance p-Cu₂O/n-β-Ga₂O₃ Heterojunction Barrier Schottky Diodes with Copper Contact

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Semiconductor Physics
• Electrical Engineering

Background:

• Gallium oxide (Ga2O3) is a promising ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor for high-power electronics.
• Heterojunction barrier Schottky (JBS) diodes offer improved performance over traditional Schottky diodes.
• Developing efficient anode materials is crucial for optimizing JBS diode performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate high-performance p-Cu2O/n-β-Ga2O3 heterojunction barrier Schottky (JBS) diodes.
• To investigate the effect of copper oxide (Cu2O) spacing on device characteristics.
• To evaluate the electrical performance and stability of the fabricated JBS diodes.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of p-Cu2O/n-β-Ga2O3 heterojunctions using copper as the anode metal.
• Optimization of Cu2O spacing to 4 μm.
• Characterization of electrical properties, including turn-on voltage, breakdown voltage, and specific on-resistance.
• Assessment of device stability under high temperature and reverse stress conditions.

Main Results:

• Achieved a low turn-on voltage of 0.78 V and a high breakdown voltage of 1700 V.
• Obtained a specific on-resistance of 5.91 mΩ·cm², resulting in a power figure of merit of 0.49 GW/cm².
• Demonstrated stable electrical characteristics from 300 K to 425 K.
• Exhibited excellent resistance to stress-induced degradation with minimal changes after 200 V reverse stress for 5000 s.

Conclusions:

• The fabricated Cu2O/Ga2O3 JBS diodes exhibit superior performance for high-voltage applications.
• Optimized Cu2O spacing is critical for achieving high-performance JBS diodes.
• These diodes are promising candidates for next-generation high-efficiency and high-voltage power electronics.