Temperature dependence of barrier height parameters of inhomogeneous Schottky diodes

We have shown by numerical simulations of I–V–T curves that the ideality factor of inhomogeneous Schottky diodes does not increase for decreasing temperature to such extent as is commonly observed for Schottky diodes in experiment. The main consequence of such a result is that in spite of the fact that the barrier height inhomogeneities fullfil the conditions for barrier height lowering for decreasing temperature they might not be a general or the only reason for occuring of this effect in experimental structures. We found out much slower ideality factor temperature dependence than reported in the literature and the dependence was even not monotonous for simulation conditions used. We conclude that some other reason as barrier inhomogeneity is responsible for ideality factor temperature dependence.