I am using Athena to create a p-n junction diode device, and model the p and n doping such that we have p+ and n+ near the electrodes, then pwell and nwell below them. For a dark current simulation I can only bias the structure to 0.0001V and I see an electric field of ~3e6 V/cm in the aluminum electrode near the silicon p+ and n+ layers.
The breakdown should be much higher and I do not know why there is such a high E-field in the aluminum electrodes, when it should be zero.
Dear Brendan,
Of course you simulate a 2D or 3D diode. The electric field near the surface is usually higher than the bulk value. The solution is to use field plates, to reduce the surface field at high reverse bias. However, you're working at very low forward bias, therefore I think you've some problem in your device structure. Please send a picture of your device and the doping profile (of Athena) as well as the potential and field distribution (from Sentaurus), to detect the problem.
Best wishes
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