AlGaN metal-semiconductor-metal structure for pressure sensing applications

We report on the effects of hydrostatic pressure on an Alx Ga1–x N metal‐semiconductor‐metal (MSM) structure with Ni Schottky contacts. Structural, optical, and electrical analysis of the Alx Ga1–x N film were carried out using atomic force microscopy (AFM), high resolution X‐ray diffraction (HRXRD), Raman, UV‐visible spectroscopy, and Hall effect measurements. The AlN mole fraction in this film was determined to be about 24%. Current‐voltage (I‐V) measurements of the MSM structure under hydrostatic pressure indicated a linear decrease of current with pressure. The decrease of the current under pressure was attributed to an increase in barrier height, tentatively attributed to a combination of piezoelectric and band structure effects. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)