Electrical characteristics of p–n junction diodes fabricated by Si epitaxy at low temperature using sputtering-type electron cyclotron resonance plasma

Abstract

This article reports the electrical characteristics of p–n junction diodes that were formed by directly depositing a Sb-doped n-type epilayer on a p-type substrate by using a dc-bias electron cyclotron resonance plasma sputtering system at a low temperature of 400 °C and a conventional vacuum of 5×10−7 Torr. The reverse current density of the n+–p junctions diodes depends on deposition gas pressures and substrate biases. The n+–p junction diodes exhibit, under optimum conditions, a reverse current density as low as 9.5×10−9 A/cm2 at a reverse bias voltage of 5 V and an ideality factor of 1.05. The excellent characteristics of the n+–p junction diode are due to the integrity of interface between n+ epilayer and p-type Si substrate.