A Tunable Schottky Barrier to n-GaAs Using Ni(Ga,Al) Contacts

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe Schottky barrier heights of Ni(GaxAl1−x)/n-GaAs contacts have been measured by the I-V and C-V techniques. Contacts with x = 0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 have been prepared, and a wide range of Schottky barrier heights, 0.66 to 0.96 eV, can be achieved by varying the composition of the alloy contacts. After annealing at 400 °C, the barrier heights increase continuously from 0.66 to 0.96 eV as x decreases. The interfacial stability between the Ni(Ga,Al) contacts and GaAs has been examined by SAM. The modulation of the Schottky barrier height and the interface stability are explained by a thermodynamic and kinetic analysis of the GaAs-NiGa-NiAl-AlAs system.