Thermal Characterization of Quasi-Vertical GaAs Schottky Diodes Integrated on Silicon

This paper presents the first thermal characterization of terahertz quasi-vertical GaAs Schottky diodes integrated on silicon. The devices are characterized using a thermoreflectance measurement technique. Heating and cooling temperature profiles and 2-D temperature maps are obtained for 5.5-μm diameter diodes. From the measurements, we extracted the device thermal resistances, anode temperatures, and thermal time constants. Equivalent circuit and finite-element models are developed to study the device geometry, and extract unknown material thermal parameters. The devices are also characterized using an electrical transient method, and the temperature and cooling transients found from both techniques are compared. The quasi-vertical diodes show comparable thermal resistance and a faster transient response compared to other terahertz Schottky diodes reported in the literature.