Transmission Electron Microscope Study of Interfacial Reactions in Gold-Germanium Contact to Gallium Arsenide

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe structure of 500 Å Au/500 A Ge/500 Å Au/GaAs (100) was studied by transmission electron microscopy after annealing at 350 – 500°C. Annealing at 350 – 450°C caused the formation of AuGeAs with a (110) texture, but this phase disappeared after annealing at 500°C. The hexagonal a-AuGa (or AuGa) was formed after annealing at 400°C, such that (111)Au // (0001)a, and [110]AU // [1120]a and there was perfect lattice match between Au (i.e., Au-rich solid solution) and a-AuGa. After annealing at 450°C or above, a phase tentatively identified as the hexagonal Au3Ga was formed and Ge (i.e., Ge-rich solid solution) became epitaxial to (100) GaAs. Annealing at 400°C caused Au to change from no texture to a (110) texture.