Carrier transport in reverse-biased graphene/semiconductor Schottky junctions

Reverse-biased graphene (Gr)/semiconductor Schottky diodes exhibit much enhanced sensitivity for gas sensing. However, carrier transport across these junctions is not fully understood yet. Here, Gr/SiC, Gr/GaAs, and Gr/Si Schottky junctions under reverse bias are investigated by temperature-dependent current-voltage measurements. A reduction in barrier height with increasing bias is observed for all junctions, suggesting electric-field enhanced thermionic emission. Further analysis of the field dependence of the reverse current reveals that while carrier transport in Gr/SiC Schottky junctions follows the Poole-Frenkel mechanism, it deviates from both the Poole-Frankel and Schottky mechanisms in Gr/Si and Gr/GaAs junctions, particularly for low temperatures and fields.