Debut for vertical rutile GeO₂ Schottky barrier diode

Researchers from Kyoto Institute of Technology are claiming to have broken new ground by demonstrating the first vertical rutile GeO2 Schottky barrier diode (rutile GeO2 is a tetragonal crystal structure, where Ge4+is bonded to six equivalent O2- atoms to form a mixture of corner and edge-sharing GeO₆ octahedra).

Putting this success in context, team spokesman Hiroyuki Nishinaka remarked: “While a Japanese venture company has shown a pseudo-vertical Schottky barrier diode on their website, it has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal with detailed information.”

Nishinaka added: “While other groups have reported GeO2 photodetectors, our work represents the first vertical power device demonstration.”