Electrical Characteristics of PbSe Nanoparticle/Si Heterojunctions

I–V characteristics of PbSe nanoparticle/single crystal Si heterojunctions prepared by chemical bath deposition method show a rectifying behavior. With decrease in average PbSe grain size between 72 nm and 9 nm currents decrease for forward and reverse bias. C–V characteristics indicate that the junctions transform into that of a metal insulator semiconductor (MIS) as the PbSe nanoparticle size decreases from 72 nm to 9 nm. This insulator like behavior of the small PbSe nanoparticle films is attributed to the highly resistive grain boundaries. Cole–Cole plots demonstrate that on decrease of grain size, the grain boundary contribution increases and grain contribution to the overall impedance decreases. Frequency dependence of capacitance proves space charge polarization in larger grains, which recedes with decrease in average grain size proving insulator like behavior of small PbSe nanoparticles.