What is leakage current in semiconductor materials?

what is leakage?

Hi, can someone explain me, what is leakage current in semiconductor devices?
(i mean leakage current in bulk of material)
And also i need to know, if is the probability of leakage current induced by temperature.

Thanks!

Re: What is leakage current?

I think the leakage current is the current going through isolator as they have some inductance, induced currents in blocks, frames. This is why equipment has to be grounded.
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Re: What is leakage current?

Mindaugasu said:

I think the leakage current is the current going through isolator as they have some inductance, induced currents in blocks, frames. This is why equipment has to be grounded.

Click to expand...

i'm sorry about that. The problem i'm interested in, was badly specified. I've already rewrite the question.

but thanks for advice

leakage current is uncontrolled ("parasitic") current flowing across region(s) of semiconductor structure/device in which no current should be flowing; e.g. current flowing across the gate oxide in MOS structure.

current flowing bcoz of minority carriers is called as leake current it is worst contribution of temperature

it is an important factor if your system has power consumption constraints. most importantly, portable devices has these requirements. any device that needs a battery actually. the leakage current needs to be lowered for the main processor ic that is used in such a portable system.

HI DEAR,

In electronics, leakage is an undesired imperfection of some dielectric materials used in capacitors, also known as dielectric leakage. It is a result of the dielectric material not being a perfect insulator and therefore allowing a leakage current to flow, slowly discharging the capacitor.


In semiconductor devices, leakage is a quantum phenomenon where mobile charge carriers (electrons or holes) tunnel through an insulating region. Leakage increases exponentially as the thickness of the insulating region decreases. Tunneling leakage can also occur across semiconductor junctions between heavily doped P-type and N-type semicondutors. Other than tunneling via the gate insulator or junctions, carriers can also leak between source and drain terminals of a Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) transistor. This is called sub-threshold leakage. The primary source of leakage occurs inside transistors, but electrons can also leak between interconnects. Leakage increases power consumption and if sufficiently large can cause complete circuit failure.

Leakage is currently one of the main factors limiting increased computer processor performance. Efforts to minimize leakage include the use of strained silicon, high-k dielectrics, and/or stronger dopant levels in the semiconductor. Leakage reduction to continue Moore's law will not only require new material solutions but also proper system design.

Is the technology based on GaAs better than on Si in the case of leakage current?

Hi,

Think Si is better than GaAs since the Si process and models are much better understood than any other semiconductor technology/material.

So Si I would say.

regards,

Paul.

it is in terms of IC fabrication Si scores more points that Ge

And what do you think about that:

File> Recent advances in GaAs devices for use at high temperatures


There is written, that GaAs technology is more reliable than Si ...but not yet, cause technological limitations (e.g. problems with ohmic contacts ...).

I thought, that because of lower leakage currents is GaAs better.

No ,i think GaAs is better compared to Si with regard to leakage current, because in microwave devices, this current cause a lot of noise and just by switching from Si to GaAs you can get a benifit of more than 6db

Recently i find out, that surface conductivity of thermally activated GaAs substrate increases in five orders of magnitude (in comparison of conductivity at ~23°C and 350°C). Thats the problem i have looking for. (maybe)

I have thin film resistor on the surface of GaAs. There is diffusion barrier of TiN between GaAs and thin film resistor. But at the temperatures over about 250°C the resistance rapidly decreases.

what's your opinion?

Santoshalagawadi said:

Leakage increases exponentially as the thickness of the insulating region decreases. Tunneling leakage can also occur across semiconductor junctions between heavily doped P-type and N-type semicondutors.

Click to expand...

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then as per your post, tunnel diode should have unwanted high leakage current..am i right...