Abstract
The study of electrical (evaporated gold) contacts to p-InAs has been extended down to an acceptor doping of 2×1016 cm−3. The steady-state current–voltage characteristic is independent of the free surface, except for a reverse-breakdown effect which appears to be surface dependent. A space-charge generation-recombination mechanism is proposed to explain the carrier flow for contacts on low-doped p-InAs. The free surface is found to strongly influence both the capacitance and photoresponse of gold contacts evaporated on low-doped p-InAs. A novel technique employing combined photocurrent and capacitance measurement has been employed to investigate the electrical characteristic of the free surface. With this technique we can easily determine both the spatial and temporal variation of the surface sheet resistance. For a freshly etched surface the surface electron concentration is small and spatially variable; with time the surface electron concentration increases. This indicates that although the conduction band minimum at the surface is below the Fermi level, the lowest quantized surface electron level is above the Fermi level.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
