Deep level transient spectroscopy in resistive layers

This work investigates the application of the Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) technique to resistive semiconductor thin films, such as Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) and thin layer of GaAs formed on semi-insulating material. Schottky diodes made on these materials were used in this study. The effect of the series resistance inherent in these types of thin-film test structures on the interpretation of data obtained from the measurement apparatus is discussed. It is observed that inverted DLTS signals occur in these structures because of the high series resistance. It is shown that ignoring this effect can lead to erroneous values of the activation energy and the density of traps. 2 refs.