Unusual nonlinear current-voltage characteristics of a metal-intrinsic semiconductor-metal barrierless structure

• DOI: 10.1063/1.4914458
• Publication Date: 2015-03-10T17:00:16Z
• Authors: A. V. Meriuts; Yu. G. Gurevich
• Keywords: 0103 physical sciences; 01 natural sciences

A nonlinear model for the electric current in a metal-intrinsic semiconductor-metal structure without potential barriers in contacts is considered using a drift diffusion approach. An analytical solution of the continuity equations and the current-voltage characteristic for various recombination rates in the contacts are obtained. It is shown that the current-voltage characteristics of such a structure exhibit not only linear behavior, corresponding to Ohm's law, but may also possess properties of current-voltage characteristics of the rectifier diode. It is also possible current-voltage characteristics with saturation in both forward and backward directions. Physical model that explains the obtained results is proposed.