Study of the relaxation of the excess current in silicon Schottky diodes

This study is devoted to investigation of the relaxation of excess current in silicon $\alpha$-NiTi-$n$-Si Schottky diodes subjected to either $\gamma$-ray radiation or local disturbance of the interface structure using a diamond indenter. A decrease in the excess diode current is attained using both thermal annealing and ultra-sound irradiation. Simultaneously, the parameters of solar cells manufactured from the above-mentioned Schottky diodes subjected to irradiation with $\gamma$-ray photons and to single or double irradiation with ultra-sound are studied. It is shown that, after the effect of the diamond indenter, the excess current decreases as a result of thermal annealing; however, a decrease in the excess current to the initial value is not attained. The photoelectric parameters of the studied solar cells before irradiation and after irradiation with $\gamma$-ray photons and after single or double irradiation with ultrasound show that ultrasonic treatment is more efficient than thermal annealing.