The Voltage Dependence of Reverse Current of Semiconductor PN Junctions and its Distribution over the Device Area

Experimental electrical characteristics at room and high temperature are presented for germanium, silicon and silicon carbide PN junction diodes. Linear voltage dependence of reverse current is exhibited for a portion of electrical characteristic if plots in linear-linear scales are considered. At higher applied voltage, deviation from the linear dependence is usually exhibited. In the case of germanium diodes and silicon diodes, existing experimental evidence indicates that such behavior is possible when most of reverse current flows at the junction edge. In the case of silicon carbide PN junctions similar behavior suggests that significant reverse current may flow at the junction edge.