Structural, Morphological, and Optical Characterization of MoO3 Thin Films and MoO3/p-Si Based Diode

The molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) that was prepared by the solvothermal method was successfully deposited by using the conventional thermal evaporation technique. XRD and optical properties were studied as a function of annealing temperatures. The crystallization was enhanced and the defects were decreased with increasing the annealing temperature. The films showed an increase of optical energy gap and the refractive index with increasing of annealing temperature due to partial filling of oxygen vacancies and so an increase of the degree of crystallinity. Current versus voltage (I-V) characteristics of Au/MoO3/p-Si/Al junction were studied in darkness and at different temperatures. The junction ideality factor shows an enhancement with increasing measurement temperature in contrast with the barrier height. The device series resistance decreases with increasing measurement temperature. The space charge limited current dominated by the exponential trap of distribution is the governing conduction mechanism at a high forward potential region (V > 0.25).