Contacts to High Aluminum Fraction p-type Aluminum Gallium Nitride

Abstract

ABSTRACTGold, palladium, platinum or nickel ohmic contacts on Mg doped p-type AlxGa1-xN with x = 0.4 and x = 0.45 have been examined. The Au contact provided the lowest contact resistivity with pc = 1.8 (± 1.1) x 10−3 Ωcm2, but only following annealing at 850°C. For the Pd, Au, and Pt contacts annealed at greater than 700°C, a rapid degradation in the current-voltage curves was observed upon testing. The degradation was induced by exposure to sub-bandgap light and was reversed with a mild anneal at 500°C. Possible mechanisms for the degradation are discussed.