LAUSR

Abstract A diamond Schottky-pn diode (SPND) was fabricated and its electrical properties were investigated by measuring the current-voltage characteristics. The diode showed high current density (>104 A/cm2 at 7 V) at room temperature with low differential on-resistance (~10−5 Ωcm2) under a wide temperature range (295–600 K). We constructed Richardson plots based on the characteristics and then estimated the potential barrier height on the hole current. From these results combined with the results of Poisson equation analysis, we viewed the change in hole barrier as a function of applied voltage and obtained the value of the hole activation energy as ~0.06 eV in the p+-type layer around the flat-band voltage. We clarified the transport mechanisms of the SPND and the method for estimating the activation energy in heavily boron-doped diamond exhibiting hopping conduction.