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Electron microscopy characterization of Au/Ni contacts to p-type InP

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Abstract

The change in contact resistance produced by annealing Au/Ni metallizations top-type InP, has been correlated to the microstructural changes by means of electron microscopy techniques. The contacts were initially non-ohmic, but decreased in resistance by a factor of 24 upon annealing to temperatures of up to 400° C. The metallization was quite unstable,i.e. the Ni reacted readily with InP, even during deposition. Annealing was characterized by the formation of a series of Ni-P phases, as well as inward diffusion of Au and outward diffusion of In, which resulted in the formation of Au-In compounds. These reactions aided Ni doping of the InP, leading to the lower contact resistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    D. G. Ivey

  2. Bell Northern Research, Station C, P.O. Box 3511, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    R. Bruce

  3. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    G. R. Piercy

Authors
  1. D. G. Ivey
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  2. R. Bruce
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  3. G. R. Piercy
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Ivey, D.G., Bruce, R. & Piercy, G.R. Electron microscopy characterization of Au/Ni contacts to p-type InP. J. Electron. Mater. 17, 373–380 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02652121

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02652121

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