Nanoscale Schottky contacts to GaN: Theoretical study and a brief review

Nanostructured GaN materials, including nanowires and nanorods, are advantageous for nanoscale devices, owing to their higher surface-to-volume ratio than thin films. Despite the technological progress, there exist many issues to be solved for commercial applications. To realize nanostructured GaN devices, it is essential to figure out thoroughly the current transport mechanisms with regard to the nanoscale contact size. Experimental and theoretical studies have shown that the transport properties in nanoscale Schottky contacts are quite different from those in thin-film based contacts. In this article, theoretical models reported by other researchers are considered to calculate the potential profiles near the metal/GaN interfaces and the current transport mechanisms in nanoscale contacts are investigated. In addition, the results on the nanoscale Schottky contacts to GaN are reviewed to throw light on important issues in GaN nanoscale devices.