Electrical characterization of semiconductors on the mm-nm length scale

The electrical conductivity of semiconductors is controlled by the activated dopant level and the intrinsic carrier concentration. Semiconductor devices are prepared with either holes or electrons as the majority charge carriers. Hall effect measurements yield carrier concentration and mobility and estimates of scattering mechanisms. The use of Hall effect measurements and of capacitance-voltage and deep level transient spectroscopy measurements for profiling depth dependent free carrier concentrations and for identifying deep traps within the forbidden gap of semiconductors, respectively, yields a potent suite of characterization techniques on the mm-mum length scale. Insight into the electrical properties of doped semiconductor nanostructures may be obtained from scanning spreading resistance microscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy measurement. Dielectric semiconductor conductivities on the nm scale may be obtained from scanning probe microscopy measuremens. Examples of current investigations by means of the presented electrical characterization techniques are given.