Tunneling current density j(V) for Pb--In--Au alloy junctions and tunnel barrier modeling

Journal Article · Sun May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.332326· OSTI ID:6163243

Magerlein, J H

Tunnel barriers formed by rf oxidation of Pb--In--Au alloys and consisting largely of In/sub 2/O/sub 3/ have been studied by measuring the current density as a function of applied voltage j(V) for voltages up to 1 V. The junctions studied here, which were oxidized on Pb- or photoresist-coated rf cathodes, showed no evidence of a barrier height below about 1 eV. A trapezoidal barrier with a height of at least 1 eV and a thickness equal to that of the oxide film, roughly 6 nm, would have a tunneling current far below that observed for these junctions. Furthermore, the measured j(V) curves were inconsistent with those calculated for a trapezoidal barrier, even for a barrier thickness less than the physical oxide thickness. The j(V) curves were, however, similar to those calculated for tunneling through a Schottky barrier in the indium oxide at the interface with the counterelectrode. Such a barrier, which is also suggested by recent measurements of oxide thickness and junction electrical properties at low voltages, might be expected to form between the metal electrodes and In/sub 2/O/sub 3/, which can be a degenerately-doped n-type semiconductor.

• Research Organization: IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598
• OSTI ID: 6163243
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 54:5; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360204* -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Physical Properties
656102 -- Solid State Physics-- Superconductivity-- Acoustic
Electronic
Magnetic
Optical
& Thermal Phenomena-- (-1987)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ALLOYS
CATHODES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CURRENT DENSITY
DATA
DIMENSIONS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRODES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GOLD ALLOYS
INDIUM ALLOYS
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
INDIUM OXIDES
INFORMATION
JUNCTIONS
LEAD ALLOYS
MASKING
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
N-TYPE CONDUCTORS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POTENTIALS
RF SYSTEMS
SCHOTTKY BARRIER DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
THICKNESS
TUNNEL EFFECT