Electrical and photoelectric properties of anisotype n-TiN/p-Si heterojunctions

Photosensitive n-TiN/p-Si heterojunctions are fabricated by the reactive magnetron sputtering of a thin titanium-nitride film with n-type conductivity onto polished polycrystalline p-Si wafers. The I-V characteristics of the heterostructures are measured at different temperatures. The temperature dependences of the potential-barrier height and series resistance of the n-TiN/p-Si heterojunction are studied. The dominant mechanisms of current transport through the heterojunction in the cases of forward and reverse bias are established. The heterostructures generate the open-circuit voltage V _oc = 0.4 V and the short-circuit current I _sc = 1.36 mA/cm² under illumination with a power density of 80 mW/cm².