Aging of Schottky diodes formed on air-exposed and atomically clean GaAs surfaces: An electrical study

Journal Article · Mon Mar 14 23:00:00 EST 1988 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.341178· OSTI ID:5483896

Miret, A; Newman, N; Weber, E R; Liliental-Weber, Z; Washburn, J; Spicer, W E

In this report we show that the application of a large voltage and current stress can significantly change the barrier height of a given metal (Ag,Al,Au,Pd,Cr)/GaAs(110) contact. These changes of barrier height depend on the metal used, the method of fabrication of the diode (air exposed or UHV cleaved), and the intensity and direction of the potential and current during the electrical aging. In particular, the air-exposed Ag diodes exhibit the largest change in the barrier height (approx.85 meV) upon aging, while the UHV-cleaved Ag diodes do not exhibit a significant change. In the case of Au, both UHV-cleaved and air-exposed diodes show a small change (approx.20 meV). The barrier heights of Pd, Al, and Cr air-exposed diodes do not exhibit an appreciable change upon aging (i.e., <10 meV). The changes in barrier height are found to have a very consistent and characteristic logarithmic dependence upon time. Once the electrical aging is stopped, the barrier height is found to recover to near the unaged value. The long time constant of the aging process, the ability of the barrier height to recover after aging, the long time constant of the recovery process, and the acceleration of the recovery process by illumination suggest that the changes in the barrier height which occur upon electrical aging are due to the creation and/or annihilation of deep level traps near the interface. We also report a systematic study of a comparison of barrier height determinations for Ag, Al, Au, Cr, and Pd diodes formed on air-exposed and UHV-cleaved GaAs(110) surfaces.

• Research Organization: Stanford Electronics Laboratories, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 and Department of Materials Science, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720
• OSTI ID: 5483896
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 63:6; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420800* -- Engineering-- Electronic Circuits &amp; Devices-- (-1989)
AGING
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
CHROMIUM
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
GOLD
METALS
PALLADIUM
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLATINUM METALS
PNICTIDES
SCHOTTKY BARRIER DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SILVER
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TRAPS