Metal Schottky barrier contacts to alpha 6H:SiC

Formation of Schottky barrier contacts to n-type 6H-SiC for a number of metals chosen to include a variety of physical and chemical properties has been investigated. The metals (Pd, Au, Ag, Tb, Er, Mn, Al, and Mg) were deposited onto room temperature surfaces terminated with a submonolayer coverage of oxygen. The metal/6H-SiC interface chemistry and Schottky barrier height φB during contact formation were obtained with x-ray photoemission spectroscopy; the electrical properties of subsequently formed thick contacts were characterized by current-voltage and capacitance-voltage techniques. The o/B values for these metals extend over a wide 1.3 eV range. To a varying degree φB depends on the 6H-SiC crystal face (Si vs C). Mg and Al (Si face of latter) have φB=0.3 eV, a value which is suitable for nonalloyed ohmic contacts.