I-V characteristics of Schottky contacts of semiconducting ZnSe nanowires and gold electrodes

The I - V behaviour of a single semiconducting ZnSe nanowire with a diameter of about 20 nm has been studied by means of electric measurement under inspection with a transmission electron microscope. The experimental results showed not only an exponential relation between the current and applied bias voltage, but also the existence of a high contact resistance with characteristic features consistent with Schottky potential barriers at the gold electrodes and the semiconducting ZnSe nanowire contacts. These Schottky barriers with asymmetrical characteristics may result from different orientations of gold grains that have different work functions. The threshold bias voltages for breakdown of the Schottky barriers examined at the Au - ZnSe nanowire contacts were about - 2.5 and 1.6 V respectively.