Electrical Properties of Grain Boundaries in InSb Bicrystals

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Abstract
Electrical properties of n‐ and p‐type InSb bicrystals with tilt angles of θ = 6° and θ = 13° and carrier concentrations p = NA ‐ ND = 1.5 × 1015 to 3 × 1017 cm−3 are investigated in the temperature range from 77 to 293 K. From the experimental date it is found that in the vicinity of the grain boundary in p‐InSb bicrystals with p < 5 × 1015 cm−3 a pronounced potential barrier (ΦB ≈ 200 meV at T = 150 K) exists. For samples with p > 5 × 1015 cm−3 the height of the potential barrier strongly decreases with increasing carrier concentration p = NA ‐ ND. The dependence of the barrier height on the applied voltage is evaluated numerically, a remarkable decrease of the barrier height with increasing voltage occurs for U > 1 V. The conduction mechanisms through the potential barrier at various temperature intervals are discussed.