Chemistry, microstructure, and electrical properties at interfaces between thin films of cobalt and alpha (6H) silicon carbide (0001)

• DOI: 10.1557/jmr.1995.0026
• Publication Date: 2007-09-27T12:23:08Z
• Authors: L.M. Porter; R.F. Davis; J.S. Bow; M.J. Kim; R.W. Carpenter
• Keywords: Ohmic contact

Thin films (4–1000 Å) of Co were deposited onto n-type 6H-SiC(0001) wafers by UHV electron beam evaporation. The chemistry, microstructure, and electrical properties were determined using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and I-V and C-V measurements, respectively. The as-deposited contacts exhibited excellent rectifying behavior with low ideality factors and leakage currents of n < 1.06 and 2.0 × 10−8 A/cm2 at −10 V, respectively. During annealing at 1000 °C for 2 min, significant reaction occurred resulting in the formation of CoSi and graphite. These annealed contacts exhibited ohmic-like character, which is believed to be due to defects created in the interface region.