Photovoltaic Behavior of V2O5/4H-SiC Schottky Diodes for Cryogenic Applications

The photovoltaic behavior of (divanadioum pentoxide)/(4H polytype silicon carbide) Schottky diodes under ultraviolet illumination and down to 28K is investigated. In addition to their high stability, by using the thermionic model the analysis allows to confirm the predictability of performances at cryogenic temperatures, such as the high light/dark current ratio and the dependence of the photocurrent and open circuit voltage on material parameters. Because of the low-annealing temperature, this structure is shown to be a good candidate for solar-blind photodetectors in the UV spectral range of spatial and terrestrial cryogenic applications.