Rapid thermal alloyed ohmic contact on inp

The results of a study of the electrical and metallurgical properties of thin metallic layers deposited on InP for use as an ohmic contact are presented. A rapid thermal annealing system was used to alloy AuGe/Ni/Au contacts to n-type ion implanted InP. Rutherford backscattering and contact resistivity measurement were used to evaluate the structural and electrical characteristics of these rapid thermal alloyed thin films. Varying degrees of mixing between the metals and the semiconductor were found depending on the temperature and temperature-time cycle. These results were compared to furnace and graphite strip-heater alloying techniques. A correlation between the interface structure and the contact resistance was found. Temperatures between 430 and 450° C and alloying time of 2 sec have produced the best electrical results, with specific contact resistance as low as 2*10^-7 Ω cm² on semi-insulating InP which was Siimplanted with a peak concentration about 2*10¹⁸ cm^-3. The optimum alloy temperature is marked by the onset of substantial wrinkling of the contact surface, whereas essentially smooth surfaces are obtained at temperatures below optimum. The depth of the alloyed ohmic contact is controlled by the time of heating and could be less than 1000Å.