Optical profiling on lateral spreading of spacecharge-region metal-semiconductor-metal structures

Abstract

Optical profiling on lateral spreading of space-chargeregion properties of Schottky-barrier metal-semiconductormetal (MSM) structures have been investigated experimentally. Making use of a planar molybdenum/n-type silicon /molybdenum (Mo/n-Si/Mo) MSM structure with a wide electrode separation, one-dimensional (1D) profiling of optical– beam intensity distribution from a helium-neon (He-Ne) laser was carried out. It was also confirmed that, in addition to existing photosensing function, the sensitivity (output photocurrent) of such a structure could be controlled by an applying bias via lateral spreading of the surface space-chargeregion (SCR) at the side of the Schottky-junction reversebiased.