Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-cfpbc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-19T04:52:03.365Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Relationship between Structural and Electrical Properties of Zn-Based Contacts to p-GaAs : Towards the Mechanism of the Ohmic Contact Formation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 September 2012

E. Kamińska
Affiliation:
Institute of Electron Technology, AJ.Lotników 46, Warszawa, Poland, eliana@ite.waw.pl.
A. Piotrowska
Affiliation:
Institute of Electron Technology, AJ.Lotników 46, Warszawa, Poland, eliana@ite.waw.pl.
S. Kasjaniuk
Affiliation:
Institute of Electron Technology, AJ.Lotników 46, Warszawa, Poland, eliana@ite.waw.pl.
S. Gierlotka
Affiliation:
Unipress, PAS, Warszawa, Poland.
Get access

Abstract

The relationship between electrical properties and microstructure of pure Zn and Au(Zn) contacts to p-GaAs has been studied. Thermally activated changes in ФB correlate with structural processes at MS interfaces. For Zn/GaAs contacts, lowering of ФB from 0.63 eV to 0.35 eV corresponds to the penetration of Zn into the native oxide layer. In AuZn/p-GaAs contacts, β-AuZn phase is responsible for the formation of ФB=0.4 eV in as-deposited contacts. The onset of the ohmic behaviour of Au(Zn)/p-GaAs contacts (ФB=0.3 eV) coincides with the appearance of α3-AuZn phase for Zn content less than 20 at.% or α1-AuZn, for higher Zn concentrations.

The obtained results prove that the mechanism responsible for the formation of low-resistance Zn -based contacts to p-type GaAs is associated with the lowering of the Schottky barrier at the metal/semiconductor interface. We suggest that the ultimate properties of these contacts are determined by the presence of a single, specific phase in a direct contact with the semiconductor.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1997

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Tung, R.T., in Contacts to Semiconductors, (ed. Brillson, L.J.), Noyes Publications, p. 176 (1993).Google Scholar
2 Palmstrom, C.J., Cheeks, T.L., Gilchrist, H.L., Zhu, J.G. Carter, C.B. Wilkens, B.J. Martin, R., J.Vac.Sci.Technol., A 10, 1946 (1992).Google Scholar
3 Kamińska, E., Piotrowska, A., Mizera, E., Dynowska, A., Thin Solid Films 246, 143 (1994).Google Scholar
4 Kamińska, E. Piotrowska, A. Mizera, E. Zarecka, R. Adamczewska, J. and Dynowska, E., Mat.Res.Soc.Symp.Proc. 300, 237 (1993).Google Scholar
5 Elliot, R.P., Constitution of Binary Alloys, First Supplement, Mc Grow-Hill, p. 107 1965.Google Scholar
6 Yu, A.Y.C., Solid State Electron., 13, 239 (1970).Google Scholar