Sperrstromkomponente

Sperrstromkomponente is a German term used in semiconductor physics and electronic engineering to denote a component of current that flows when a p–n junction or other device is reverse biased. Literally "reverse current component," it refers to the various physical mechanisms that produce leakage or reverse current in diodes, transistors, photodiodes and related structures.

Different Sperrstromkomponenten are distinguished by their origin and dependence on bias, temperature and electric field. Typical mechanisms include diffusion of minority carriers (saturation current), generation–recombination within the depletion region, surface leakage along imperfect passivation layers, band-to-band or trap-assisted tunneling under high fields, and avalanche multiplication near breakdown. In photodetectors and imaging sensors, dark current is a notable manifestation of these components.

Characterizing Sperrstromkomponenten often involves reverse I–V measurements and temperature-dependent studies (Arrhenius plots) to separate thermally activated processes from field-driven ones. The magnitude and behavior of leakage currents affect device noise, power consumption and reliability, and are critical in low-power and precision applications.

Mitigation techniques target the dominant mechanisms: improved surface passivation, guard rings, optimized doping profiles, controlled impurities and defect reduction in fabrication, and device design choices that reduce peak electric fields. Operating temperature control also reduces thermally activated components. Understanding and managing Sperrstromkomponenten is essential for optimizing semiconductor device performance.