GaAs planar doped barriers by molecular beam epitaxy

A new majority carrier rectifying barrier device designated as a "planar-doped barrier" (PDB) has been fabricated in GaAs by MBE. The key feature of the PDB structure is that the barrier height and degree of asymmetry in the I-V characteristics can be continuously and independently controlled. In addition, the barrier can be designed to yield a constant capacitance. Experimental I-V characteristics agree well with a thermionic emission model. This planar-doped-barrier concept offers significant advantages over Schottky barriers and may, in fact, evolve into a new generic class of barrier devices.