Microanalysis of inhomogeneous reaction and Schottky-barrier change of Al/n-InP contacts upon rapid thermal annealing

Although metal contacts to oxidized n-InP show relatively high Schottky-barrier height, they will not be stable upon thermal annealing since the interfacial reaction might dissociate the oxides. The authors present the change in electrical properties of Al/n-InP contacts upon the rapid thermal annealing in relation to the interfacial reaction. In a certain range of the annealing temperature, a rectifying contact was obtained with a high Schottky-barrier height close to 0.7 eV, for which compositional and electrical microanalysis were carried out by means of the electron-probe microanalysis and the scanning internal-photoemission microscopy. The results are discussed.< >