A TEM (transmission electron microscopy) study of rhodium on GaAs: Reactions and morphology

Technical Report · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:6224217

Packer, S

The interfacial reaction between rhodium films and n-type GaAs in the temperature range of 300 to 700/sup 0/C has been examined using TEM and electron diffraction methods. The reaction between Rh and GaAs produces a layered structure of Rh/RhGa/RhAs/sub 2//GaAs based on RBS and TEM. Above 300/sup 0/C, the RhGa phase has an orientation relationship of (011)RhGa// (100)GaAs. In cross section, an interpenetrated layered structure was observed with equiaxed RhGa above columnar grains of RhAs2. Rhodium is the moving species as suggested by Kirkendall voiding observed at the RhGa interface. The activation energy of the reaction was calculated to be 1.35 eV. The interface between the reacted layer and GaAs was smooth at 450/sup 0/ and 20 minutes of annealing but showed 10 nm periodic penetrations when annealed at 400/sup 0/ for 90 minutes. Interface roughness may influence the low barrier height reported for the Rh Schottky diode annealed at 400/sup 0/.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 6224217
• Report Number(s): LBL-23536; ON: DE87012032
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360603 -- Materials-- Properties
42 ENGINEERING
420800* -- Engineering-- Electronic Circuits & Devices-- (-1989)
ANNEALING
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COHERENT SCATTERING
DIFFRACTION
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
FILMS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
HEAT TREATMENTS
INTERFACES
MATERIALS
METALS
MICROSCOPY
N-TYPE CONDUCTORS
PLATINUM METALS
PNICTIDES
RHODIUM
SCATTERING
SCHOTTKY BARRIER DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY