TiW(40 nm)/TiWN(80 nm)/Pt(500nm) was investigated as a new high-temperature compatible contact stack to 3C-SiC for harsh environment applications. Performance of TiW/TiWN/Pt contacts deposited on unintentionally doped (8.85×1018 cm-3) 3C-SiC grown by LPCVD to a thickness of ~1μm on (100) Si are reported. The linear transmission line method was used to determine specific contact resistance (ρc) at room temperature and for long-term tests at 300 °C. As deposited contacts were Ohmic with a ρc range of 1×10-4 to 1×10-3 cm2. These contacts were annealed for five minutes in forming gas (8% H2 92% Ar), at temperatures from 450 to 950 °C and all retained Ohmic character. Annealing samples at 450, 550 and 950 °C decreased ρc while anneling between 650 and 850 °C generally increased ρc.

Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) analysis was performed on a sample annealed at 750 °C. The as-received surface was composed of Si and O; after a brief sputter etch a characteristic Pt peak became visible and the O peak decreased substantially. Depth profiles detected Si throughout the Pt capping layer but not in the TiW layers. We suspect that Si diffuses from the SiC substrate into the Pt capping layer and surface Si also reacts with O2 to from an oxide. These reactions, in combination with incomplete SiC/TiW interface reactions, are suspected to cause the increase of ρc for samples annealed between 650 and 850 °C. Annealing at 950 °C gave the lowest contact resistance of 2.3×10-5. Long-term testing at 300 °C for 190 hours, in atmosphere, was performed on contacts annealed at 450 °C. When heated, the contacts initial ρc of 2.1×10-4 cm2 increased to ~4×10-3 cm2 which remained stable for the test duration. After long-term testing the sample ρc measured at room temperature decreased to 9.8×10-5 cm2.