Enhancement of the electrical performance of Ag/P3DDT/macroporous silicon Schottky diodes through thermal annealing process

In this work, the impact of thermal annealing on the electrical performance of Ag/P3DDT/macroporous silicon (McPS) Schottky diodes was reported. The P3DDT polymer was deposited onto McPS by dip coating with controlled immersion time. McPS was previously prepared via silver-assisted chemical etching (MACE) method. Morphological and chemical analyzes revealed that immersion times between 30 and 60 min allowed for optimal polymer distribution, while longer times promoted excessive aggregation. Electrical characteristics were evaluated by current-voltage (I-V) measurements performed before and after annealing at different temperatures. The results show a significant improvement in diode performance with proper optimization of the immersion time and the annealing temperature. This improvement is manifested by higher rectification ratios, a reduced ideality factor of up to 1.15, and a decrease in series resistance. A reorganization of polymer chains on the porous matrix and the passivation of defects lead to improved carrier injection at the Ag-P3DDT and P3DDT-McPS interfaces, thus explaining the improved diode quality. This work offers new perspectives on organic/inorganic heterostructures, not only in the transport mechanism governing these interfaces but also in the crucial role of post-deposition heat treatment in modulating their electrical properties.