Ta/Ni/Ta multilayered ohmic contacts on n-type SiC

The interface formation, electrical properties and the surface morphology of multilayered Ta/Ni/Ta/SiC contacts were reported in this study. It was found that the conducting behavior of the contacts so fabricated is much dependent on the metal layer thickness and the subsequent annealing temperature. Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that Ni₂Si and TaC formed as a result of the annealing. The Ni atoms diffused downward to metal/SiC interface and converted into Ni₂Si layer in adjacent to the SiC substrate. The released carbon atoms reacted with Ta atoms to form TaC layer. Ohmic contacts with specific contact resistivity as low as 3 × 10⁻⁴ Ω cm² have been achieved after thermal annealing. The formation of carbon vacancies at the Ni₂Si/SiC interface, probably created by dissociation of SiC and formation of TaC during thermal annealing, should be responsible for the ohmic formation of the annealed Ta/Ni/Ta contacts. The addition of Ta into the Ni metallization scheme to n-SiC restricted the accumulation of carbon atoms left behind during Ni₂Si formation, improving the electrical and microstructure properties.     

Origin of ohmic behavior in Ni, Ni2Si and Pd contacts on n-type SiC

Ni, Ni₂Si and Pd contacts were prepared on n-type 4H-SiC and annealed in the temperature range of 750-1150 °C. The annealed contacts were analyzed before and after acid etching, and different features were found in unetched and etched contacts. Carbon left on the SiC surface after the acid etching of Ni₂Si contacts annealed at 960 °C was highly graphitized. In nickel contacts, the graphitization of interface carbon began at 960 °C and increased after annealing at higher temperatures. In palladium contacts, the onset of the interface carbon graphitization was observed after annealing at 1150 °C. For all three types of metallization, the minimal values of contact resistivity were achieved only when the sharp first-order peak at 1585 cm⁻¹ and distinct second-order peak at ∼2700 cm⁻¹ related to the presence of graphitized carbon were detected by Raman spectroscopy after the acid etching of contacts. The properties of unannealed secondary contacts deposited onto etched primary contacts were similar to the properties of the primary contacts unless carbon was selectively etched. The results show that ohmic behavior of Ni-based and Pd contacts on n-type SiC originates from the formation of graphitic carbon at the interface with SiC.     

Study of electronic structures for Fe thin films deposited on Si- and C-faces of 4H-SiC substrates by soft X-ray emission spectroscopy

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a candidate material for electronic devices to operate upon crucial environment. Electronic states of silicides and/or carbide/graphite formed in metal/SiC contact system are fundamentally important from the viewpoint of device performance.We study interface electronic structure of iron thin film deposited on silicon (Si)- and carbon (C)-face of 4H-SiC(0 0 0 1) by using a soft X-ray emission spectroscopy (SXES). For specimens of Fe (50 nm)/4H-SiC (substrate) contact systems annealed at 700 and 900 °C, the Si L_2,3 emission spectra indicate different shapes and peak energies from the substrate depending on thermal-treated temperature. The product of materials such as silicides is suggested. Further, from comparison of Si L_2,3 emission spectra between Si- and C-face for the same annealing temperature at 700 °C, it is concluded that the similar silicides and/or ternary materials are formed on the two surfaces. However for those of 900 °C, the film on substrate is composed of the different silicide and/or ternary materials.     

Crystallization of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbon films with laser and thermal annealing

The crystallization of silicon rich hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbon films prepared by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition technique has been induced by excimer laser annealing as well as thermal annealing. The excimer laser energy density (E_d) and the annealing temperature were varied from 123 to 242 mJ/cm² and from 250 to 1200 °C respectively. The effects of the two crystallization processes on the structural properties and bonding configurations of the films have been studied. The main results are that for the laser annealed samples, cubic SiC crystallites are formed for E_d ≥ 188 mJ/cm², while for the thermal annealed samples, micro-crystallites SiC and polycrystalline hexagonal SiC are observed for the annealing temperature of 800 and 1200 °C respectively. The crystallinity degree has been found to improve with the increase in the laser energy density as well as with the increase in the annealing temperature.     

Metal contacts to n-GaN

Al, Au, Ti/Al and Ti/Au contacts were prepared on n-GaN and annealed up to 900 °C. The structure, phase and morphology were studied by cross-sectional transmission and scanning electron microscopy as well as by X-ray diffraction (XRD), the electrical behaviour by current-voltage measurements. It was obtained that annealing resulted in interdiffusion, lateral diffusion along the surface, alloying and bowling up of the metal layers. The current-voltage characteristics of as-deposited Al and Ti/Al contacts were linear, while the Au and Ti/Au contacts exhibited rectifying behaviour. Except the Ti/Au contact which became linear, the contacts degraded during heat treatment at 900 °C. The surface of Au and Ti/Au contacts annealed at 900 °C have shown fractal-like structures revealed by scanning electron microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy and XRD investigations of the Ti/Au contact revealed that Au diffused into the n-GaN layer at 900 °C. X-ray diffraction examinations showed, that new Ti₂N, Au₂Ga and Ga₃Ti₂ interface phases formed in Ti/Au contact at 900 °C, new Ti₂N phase formed in Ti/Al contact at 700 and 900 °C, as well as new AlN interface phase developed in Ti/Al contact at 900 °C.     

Formation of epitaxial SiC nanocrystals

Epitaxial 3C-SiC grains are formed at 1190 °C in the top region of silicon, when Si wafers coated by SiO₂ are annealed in CO atmosphere. The formed SiC grains are 40-50 nm high and 100 nm wide in cross-section and contain only few defects. Main advantage of the method is that the final structure is free of voids.The above method is further developed for the generation of SiC nanocrystals, embedded in SiO₂ on Si, and aligned parallel with the interface. The nanometer-sized SiC grains were grown into SiO₂ close to the Si/SiO₂ interface by a two-step annealing of oxide covered Si: first in a CO, than in a pure O₂ atmosphere. The first (carbonization) step created epitaxial SiC crystallites grown into the Si surface, while the second (oxidation) step moved the interface beyond them. Conventional and high resolution cross-sectional electron microscopy showed pyramidal Si protrusions at the Si/SiO₂ interface under the grains. The size of the grains, as well as their distance from the Si/SiO₂ interface (peak of pyramids) can be controlled by the annealing process parameters. The process can be repeated and SiC nanocrystals (oriented in the same way) can be produced in a multilevel structure.     

ZrB2-based Ohmic contacts to p-GaN

The annealing temperature dependence of contact resistance and layer stability of ZrB₂/Ti/Au and Ni/Au/ZrB₂/Ti/Au Ohmic contacts on p-GaN is reported. The as-deposited contacts are rectifying and transition to Ohmic behavior for annealing at ≥750 °C, a significant improvement in thermal stability compared to the conventional Ni/Au Ohmic contact on p-GaN, which is stable only to <600 °C. A minimum specific contact resistance of ∼2 × 10⁻³ Ω cm⁻² was obtained for the ZrB₂/Ti/Au after annealing at 800 °C while for Ni/Au/ZrB₂/Ti/Au the minimum value was 10⁻⁴ Ω cm⁻² at 900 °C. Auger Electron Spectroscopy profiling showed significant Ti, Ni and Zr out diffusion at 750 °C in the Ni/Au/ZrB₂/Ti/Au while the Ti and Zr intermix at 900 °C in the ZrB₂/Ti/Au. These boride-based contacts show promise for contacts to p-GaN in high temperature applications.     

Formation of the intermediate semiconductor larger for the Ohmic contact to silicon carbide using Germanium implantation

By formation of an intermediate semiconductor layer (ISL) with a narrow band gap at the metallic contact/SiC interface, this paper realises a new method to fabricate the low-resistance Ohmic contacts for SiC. An array of transfer length method (TLM) test patterns is formed on N-wells created by P⁺ ion implantation into Si-faced p-type 4H-SiC epilayer. The ISL of nickel-metal Ohmic contacts to n-type 4H-SiC could be formed by using Germanium ion implantation into SiC. The specific contact resistance ρ_c as low as 4.23× 10^-5~Ωega \cdotcm² is achieved after annealing in N₂ at 800~°C for 3~min, which is much lower than that (>900~°C) in the typical SiC metallisation process. The sheet resistance R_sh of the implanted layers is 1.5~kΩega /\Box. The technique for converting photoresist into nanocrystalline graphite is used to protect the SiC surface in the annealing after Ge⁺ ion implantations.     

Rapid thermal annealing induced changes on the contact of Ni/Au to N-doped ZnO

N-doped p-type ZnO (p ∼ 10¹⁸cm^-3) was grown on sapphire(0 0 0 1) substrate by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition method. Ni/Au metal was evaporated on the ZnO film to form contacts. As-deposited contacts were rectifying while ohmic behavior was achieved after thermally annealing the contacts in nitrogen environment. Specific contact resistance was determined by circular transmission line method and a minimum specific contact resistance of 8 × 10⁻⁴ Ω cm² was obtained for the sample annealed at 650 °C for 30 s. However, Hall effect measurements indicate that, as the rapid thermal annealing temperature increased up to 550 °C or higher the samples’ conductive type have changed from p-type to n-type, which may be due to the instability nature of the present-day p-type N-doped ZnO or the dissociation of ZnO caused by annealing process in N₂ ambient. Evolution of the sample's electric characteristics and the increment of metal/semiconductor interface states induced by rapid thermal annealing process are supposed to be responsible for the improvement of electrical properties of Au/Ni/ZnO.     

Photoemission studies of initial oxidation for ultra-thin zinc film on 6H-SiC(0 0 0 1) surface with synchrotron radiation

The thermal oxidation process of metallic zinc on 6H-SiC(0 0 0 1) surface has been investigated by using atomic force microscopy (AFM), synchrotron radiation photoelectron spectroscopy (SRPES) and XPS methods. The AFM images characterize the surface morphology of ZnO film formed during the thermal oxidation and SRPES record the valence band, Si 2p and Zn 3d spectra at different stages. The O 1s peak is recorded by XPS because of the energy limit of the synchrotron radiation. Our results reveal that the silicon oxides layer of SiC substrate can be reduce by hot metallic zinc atom deposition. The oxygen atoms in the silicon oxides are captured by the zinc atoms to form ZnO_x at the initial stage and as a result, the oxidized SiC surface are deoxidized. After the zinc deposition with the final thickness of 2.5 nm, the sample is exposed in oxygen atmosphere and annealed at different temperatures. According to the evolution of peaks integrated intensities, it is considered that the Zn/SiC system will lose zinc atoms during the annealing in oxygen flux at high temperature due to the low evaporation temperature of pure zinc. After further annealing in oxygen flux at higher temperature, the substrate is also oxidized and finally the interface becomes a stable SiC-SiO_x-ZnO sandwich structure.     

Formation of Ohmic contacts on laser irradiated n-type 6H-SiC without thermal annealing

In this work, KrF excimer laser irradiation of n-type SiC is used to form Ohmic contacts at the interfaces between the irradiated SiC and various types of metals with different work functions without subsequent thermal annealing. Ohmic contacts are formed between laser-treated 6H-SiC and Ti at a laser fluence of 0.7 J/cm². Moreover, in the fluence range of 0.7–1.3 J/cm², Ohmic characteristics are also observed between irradiated 6H-SiC and Au, which is a representative inert metal. The laser-induced heavy doping effect reduces the thickness of the Schottky barrier between the metal and SiC, and the formation of graphene sheets on the irradiated SiC surface reduces the barrier height, resulting in the direct formation of Ohmic contacts. Our findings thus demonstrate the potential of this laser treatment method to achieve Ohmic contacts between n-type SiC and a broad range of metal electrodes without requiring high-temperature annealing.     

石墨烯过渡层对金属/SiC接触肖特基势垒调控的第一性原理研究

由于SiC禁带宽度大,在金属/SiC接触界面难以形成较低的势垒,制备良好的欧姆接触是目前SiC器件研制中的关键技术难题,因此,研究如何降低金属/SiC接触界面的肖特基势垒高度(SBH)非常重要.本文基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理赝势平面波方法,结合平均静电势和局域态密度计算方法,研究了石墨烯作为过渡层对不同金属(Ag,Ti,Cu,Pd,Ni,Pt)/SiC接触的SBH的影响.计算结果表明,单层石墨烯可使金属/SiC接触的SBH降低;当石墨烯为2层时,SBH进一步降低且Ni,Ti接触体系的SBH呈现负值,说明接触界面形成了良好的欧姆接触;当石墨烯层数继续增加,SBH不再有明显变化.通过分析接触界面的差分电荷密度以及局域态密度,SBH降低的机理可能主要是石墨烯C原子饱和了SiC表面的悬挂键并降低了金属诱生能隙态对界面的影响,并且接触界面的石墨烯及其与金属相互作用形成的混合相具有较低的功函数.此外,SiC/石墨烯界面形成的电偶极层也可能有助于势垒降低.     

石墨烯过渡层对金属/SiC接触肖特基势垒调控的第一性原理研究

由于SiC禁带宽度大,在金属/SiC接触界面难以形成较低的势垒,制备良好的欧姆接触是目前SiC器件研制中的关键技术难题,因此,研究如何降低金属/SiC接触界面的肖特基势垒高度(SBH)非常重要.本文基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理赝势平面波方法,结合平均静电势和局域态密度计算方法,研究了石墨烯作为过渡层对不同金属(Ag,Ti,Cu,Pd,Ni,Pt)/SiC接触的SBH的影响.计算结果表明,单层石墨烯可使金属/SiC接触的SBH降低;当石墨烯为2层时,SBH进一步降低且Ni,Ti接触体系的SBH呈现负值,说明接触界面形成了良好的欧姆接触;当石墨烯层数继续增加,SBH不再有明显变化.通过分析接触界面的差分电荷密度以及局域态密度,SBH降低的机理可能主要是石墨烯C原子饱和了SiC表面的悬挂键并降低了金属诱生能隙态对界面的影响,并且接触界面的石墨烯及其与金属相互作用形成的混合相具有较低的功函数.此外,SiC/石墨烯界面形成的电偶极层也可能有助于势垒降低.     

Embedded Nanoparticles in Schottky and Ohmic Contacts: A Review

Schottky and Ohmic contacts are essential parts of electronic and optoelectronic devices based on semiconductor materials. Controlling the contact/semiconductor interface properties is the key to obtaining a contact with an optimum performance. Contacts incorporated by nanomaterials, i.e., nano-sized particles that are embedded at the interface of contact/semiconductor, can transform the conventional approaches of contact fabrication, resulting in more reproducible, tunable and efficient electronic, and optoelectronic devices. This article is a review of theoretical and fabrication progress on the last two decades to produce contacts with embedded nanoparticles (NPs). The review covers common routes of NPs deposition on different substrates (e.g., Si, Ge, SiC, GaN, GaAs₆₇P₃₃, and InP) for nanostructured contact fabrication and the theoretical models to investigate the NPs effects on the conduction mechanism and electrical properties of devices.     

ZrB2/Pt/Au Ohmic contacts on bulk, single-crystal ZnO

There is a strong interest in developing thermally stable metallization schemes for ZnO and boride-based contact stacks are expected to have potential because of their thermodynamic stability. The contact characteristics on bulk single-crystal n-ZnO of a ZrB₂/Pt/Au metallization scheme deposited by sputtering are reported as a function of annealing temperature in the range 300-800°C. The contacts were rectifying for anneal temperatures <500 °C but exhibited Ohmic behavior at higher temperatures and exhibit a minimum specific contact resistivity of 9 × 10⁻³ Ω cm after 700 °C anneals. The contact stack reverts to rectifying behavior after annealing above 800 °C, coincident with a degraded surface morphology and intermixing of the Au, Pt and ZrB₂. The boride-based contacts exhibit higher thermal stability but poorer specific contact resistivity than conventional Ti/Au metal stacks on ZnO.     

Epitaxial growth of uniform NiSi2 layers with atomically flat silicide/Si interface by solid-phase reaction in Ni-P/Si(1 0 0) systems

As metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) devices are shrunk to the nanometer scale, flat shallow metal/Si electrical contacts must be formed in the source/drain region. This work demonstrates a method for the formation of epitaxial NiSi₂ layers by a solid-phase reaction in Ni-P(8 nm)/Si(1 0 0) samples. The results show that the sheet resistance remained low when the samples were annealed at temperatures from 400 to 700 °C. P atoms can be regarded as diffusion barriers against the supply of Ni to the Si substrate, which caused the formation of Si-rich silicide (NiSi₂) at low temperature. Furthermore, elemental P formed a stable capping layer with O, Ni and Si during the annealing process. A uniform NiSi₂ layer with an atomically flat interface was formed by annealing at 700 °C because of the formation of a Si-Ni-P-O capping layer and a reduction in the total interface area.     

Study of electronic states for V thin films deposited on 6H-SiC substrates by soft X-ray emission spectroscopy

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a candidate material for electronic devices to operate upon crucial environment. Electronic states of silicides and/or carbide/graphite formed in metal/SiC contact system is fundamentally important from the view point of device performance.We study interface electronic structure of vanadium (V) thin-film deposited on 6H-SiC(0 0 0 1) Si-face by using a soft X-ray emission spectroscopy (SXES). For specimens of V(38 nm)/6H-SiC (substrate) contact systems annealed at 850 °C, the Si L_2,3 emission spectra indicate different shapes and peak energies from the substrate. The product of materials such as silicides and/or ternary materials is suggested. Similarly, the C Kα emission spectra show the shape and peak energy characteristic of vanadium carbide including substrate 6H-SiC signal.     

Investigation of p-type behavior in Ag-doped ZnO thin films by E-beam evaporation

Ag-doped ZnO (ZnO:Ag) thin films were grown on glass substrates by E-beam evaporation technique. The structural, electrical and optical properties of the films were investigated as a function of annealing temperature. The films were subjected to post annealing at different temperatures in the range of 350-650 °C in an air ambient. All the as grown and annealed films at temperature of 350 °C showed p-type conduction. The films lost p-type conduction after post annealing treatment temperature of above 350 °C, suggesting a narrow post annealing temperature window for the fabrication of p-type ZnO:Ag films. ZnO:Ag film annealed at 350 °C revealed lowest resistivity of 7.25 × 10⁻² Ω cm with hole concentration and mobility of 5.09 × 10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and 1.69 cm²/V s, respectively. Observation of a free-to-neutral-acceptor (e,A^o) and donor-acceptor-pair (DAP) emissions in the low temperature photoluminescence measurement confirms p-type conduction in the ZnO:Ag films.     

Thermal stability of Ti/Al/Pt/Au and Ti/Au Ohmic contacts on n-type ZnCdO

The specific contact resistivity and chemical intermixing of Ti/Au and Ti/Al/Pt/Au Ohmic contacts on n-type Zn_0.05Cd_0.95O layers grown on ZnO buffer layers on GaN/sapphire templates is reported as a function of annealing temperature in the range 200-600 °C. A minimum contact resistivity of 2.3 × 10⁻⁴ Ω cm² was obtained at 500 °C for Ti/Al/Pt/Au and 1.6 × 10⁻⁴ Ω cm² was obtained at 450 °C for Ti/Al. These values also correspond to the minima in transfer resistance for the contacts. The Ti/Al/Pt/Au contacts show far smoother morphologies after annealing even at 600 °C, whereas the Ti/Au contacts show a reacted appearance after 350 °C anneals. In the former case, Pt and Al outdiffusion is significant at 450 °C, whereas in the latter case the onset of Ti and Zn outdiffusion is evident at the same temperature. The improvement in contact resistance with annealing is suggested to occur through formation of TiO_x phases that induce oxygen vacancies in the ZnCdO.     

Annealing and amorphous silicon passivation of porous silicon with blue light emission

The photoluminescence (PL) of the annealed and amorphous silicon passivated porous silicon with blue emission has been investigated. The N-type and P-type porous silicon fabricated by electrochemical etching was annealed in the temperature range of 700-900 °C, and was coated with amorphous silicon formed in a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process. After annealing, the variation of PL intensity of N-type porous silicon was different from that of P-type porous silicon, depending on their structure. It was also found that during annealing at 900 °C, the coated amorphous silicon crystallized into polycrystalline silicon, which passivated the irradiative centers on the surface of porous silicon so as to increase the intensity of the blue emission.