Transport and storage properties of CrSi2/Si junctions made using the CAPVD technique

p-CrSi₂/n-crystSi and p-CrSi₂/p-crystSi hetero junctions produced by cathodic arc physical vapor deposition were worked out by means of capacitance–voltage–temperature (C–V–T) and current–voltage–temperature (I–V–T) measurements to investigate storage and transport properties. Former measurement on p-CrSi₂/n-crystSi structure confirmed an abrupt type junction together with a building voltage at the proximity of 0.7 V. Though a fairly well rectification ratio (10³ at ±2 V) was realized by I–V measurement, it became deteriorated with the increase in ambient temperature. From temperature dependence of I–V variations, distinct conduction mechanisms were identified. In forward (reverse) direction trap assisted single-multistep tunneling recombination (generation) and space-charge limited current flow that corresponded to low and high bias voltage regions, respectively, were identified. Moreover, an activation energy (E_A) determined from the slopes of I–V–T curves as 0.22 and 0.26 eV was interpreted as the energy position of a chromium–boron (Cr–B) complex-type point defect residing in n/p doped c-Si semiconductor in CrSi₂/n–c-Si and CrSi₂/p–c-Si junctions. The retrieved E_A was in agreement with the recent DLTS measurement. Based on the experimental observations, schematic current path was built to interpret I–V/C–V behaviors. The model was successful in explaining the decrease in measured capacitance under large forward bias voltage reported for the first time by us for the present CrSi₂/Si junctions.