Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Effects of Interfacial Reactions in the Formation of Ohmic Contacts to GaAs

  • Published:
MRS Online Proceedings Library Aims and scope

Abstract

The effect of heat treatments between 400°C and 500°C on electrical contacts of In, Ga, Pb, and AU to n- or p-GaAs, and Ni to n-GaAs have been studied using current-voltage (I-V), Auger electron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Ohmic contacts were formed between In and GaAs upon heating due to formation of an InGaAs surface layer with low interfacial transport barriers. The contacts between Ga or Pb and n- and p-GaAs remained rectifying due to a lack of interfacial reaction. Films of Au reacted with both n-and p-type GaAs resulting in rectangular “pits”. This led to ohmic contacts only on n-type substrates due to segregation of the Si dopants to the surface of the decomposed GaAs "pits". Dopant segregation did not occur when Au reacted with p-GaAs or Ni reacted with n-GaAs, thus these contacts remained rectifying at lower doping densities (4 x 1017 cm-3).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. T.C. Shen, G.B. Gao and H. Morkoc, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B10, 2113 (1992).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. See chapters 1,2 and 6 in Contacts to Semiconductors. Fundamentals and Technology, Ed. by L.J. Brillson (Noyes Publ., New York, 1993).

    Google Scholar 

  3. P.H. Holloway, Lu-Min Yeh Liu, H. David Powell and Alan Brown, Appl. Phys. Lett. 59, 947 (1991).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. S.M. Sze. Physics of Semiconductor Devices, Second Edition (John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1981).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Lu-Min Yeh Liu, Metallurgical and Electrical Properties of Au/GaAs Electrical Contacts, PhD Dissertation, University of Florida, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  6. J.L. Freeouf, A.C. Warren, P.D. Kirchner, J.M. Woodall and M.R. Melloch, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B9, 2355 (1991).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. L.J. Vieland and S. Skalsi in Metallurgy of Elemental and Compound Semiconductors, edited by R.O. Grubal (Interscience, New York, 1961) p.303.

  8. J.S. Solomon and S.R. Smith, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A5, 1809 (1987).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. S.A. Chambers and V.A. Loebs, Appl. Phys. Lett. 60, 38 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. ASM Handbook: Alloy Phase Diagrams, Volume 3, Edited by H. Baker (ASM International, Metals Park, OH, 1992).

  11. Lu-Min Yeh Liu and P.H. Holloway, Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. Vol. 144, p. 607 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  12. C.M. Mueller, P.H. Holloway and R.G. Connell, in Advanced Metallization and Processing of Semiconductor Devices, Ed. by A. Katz, Y.I. Nissim, S.P. Murarka and J.M.E. Harper (MRS, Pittsburgh, PA, 1992) Vol. 260, p. 481.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. P. E. Viljoen

    Present address: Dept. of Physics, University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontein, Republic of South Africa

  2. E. Ristolainen

    Present address: Center for Chemical Analysis, Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki, Finland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    Verlyn Fischer, P. E. Viljoen, E. Ristolainen & P. H. Holloway

  2. Materials Directorate, Wright Laboratory, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH, 45433-6533, USA

    W. V. Lampert & T. W. Haas

  3. Dept. of Electrical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA

    J. M. Woodall

Authors
  1. Verlyn Fischer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. E. Viljoen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. E. Ristolainen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. P. H. Holloway
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. W. V. Lampert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. T. W. Haas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. J. M. Woodall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fischer, V., Viljoen, P.E., Ristolainen, E. et al. The Effects of Interfacial Reactions in the Formation of Ohmic Contacts to GaAs. MRS Online Proceedings Library 337, 413–419 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-337-413

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-337-413

Search

Navigation