Investigating the effect of aluminum oxide fixed charge on Schottky barrier height in molybdenum oxide-based selective contacts

Garland, Ben M.; Davis, Benjamin E.; Strandwitz, Nicholas C.

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2023.112537

Title: Investigating the effect of aluminum oxide fixed charge on Schottky barrier height in molybdenum oxide-based selective contacts

Journal Article · Fri Sep 08 00:00:00 EDT 2023 · Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2023.112537· OSTI ID:2006659

^[1]; Davis, Benjamin E. ^[1];

^[1]

Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA (United States)

A tunneling atomic layer deposited (ALD) AlO_x layer was inserted in a Si|SiO_x|AlO_x|MoO_x|metal tunnel diode structure to investigate the impact of fixed interface charge on Schottky barrier height. ALD AlO_x provides a synthesis-tunable fixed charge and can provide excellent field effect passivation at the SiO_x|AlO_x interface. A large (>1 × 10¹² q.cm^–2) negative fixed charge density was expected to decrease Schottky barrier height on p-type silicon and increase Schottky barrier height on n-type silicon by up to 0.4 eV based on an electrostatic model. Fixed charge density and interface trap state density were measured using a thick layer of AlO_x in metal oxide semiconductor capacitor structures (MOSCAPs); Schottky barrier height and specific contact resistivity were measured using a tunneling-active layer of AlO_x in contacted structures with MoO_x. In some samples, HfO_x interface layers were inserted between AlO_x and silicon to quench the fixed negative charge. The Schottky barrier height was found to vary with processing conditions but did not have a strong correlation with expected fixed charge density. Here, while fixed charge may play a role in determining the Schottky barrier height, other parameters also have significant affect. Further work is needed to minimize contact resistivity and elucidate other factors impacting the Schottky barrier height.

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Research Organization:: Lehigh Univ., Bethlehem, PA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0008743

OSTI ID:: 2006659

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2000562

Journal Information:: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 262; ISSN 0927-0248

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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