Investigation of 1/f Noise and Superimposed RTS Noise in Ti–Au/n-Type GaAs Schottky Barrier Diodes

Low frequency noise characteristics of Schottky diodes are investigated. Two noise components were found in experimental noise records: random telegraph signal (RTS), caused by burst noise, and 1/f Gaussian noise. The noise is sampled and recorded on a PC. Then, in addition to the spectrum, the probability density function (pdf) of the total noise is analyzed. In the case of the mixture of the burst noise and Gaussian (1/f) noise, the pdf has two maxima separated by a local minimum. Extraction of burst noise component from Gaussian noise background was performed using the pdf, standard signal detection theory, and advanced signal-processing techniques. It is concluded that the RTS noise and 1/f noise have different physical origins in Schottky diodes. The raw noise is split into two components. One appeared to be burst noise with a Lorentzian-like spectral shape. The other component is 1/f noise. Having extracted 1/f noise, we have studied the dependence of noise spectral values on the current across the diode.