Process-Dependent Electronic Structure at Metallized GaAs Contacts

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe influence of metallization and processing on Schottky barrier formation provides the basis for one of several fruitful approaches for controlling junction electronic properties. Interface cathodo-and photoluminescence measurements reveal that electrically-active deep levels form on GaAs(100) surfaces and metal interfaces which depend on thermally-driven surface stoichiometry and reconstruction, chemical interaction, as well as surface misorientation and bulk crystal quality. These interface states are discrete and occur at multiple gap energies which can account for observed band bending. Characteristic trends in such deep level emission with interface processing provide guides for optimizing interface electronic behavior. Correspondingly, photoemission and internal photoemission spectroscopy measurements indicate self-consistent changes in barrier heights which may be heterogeneous and attributable to interface chemical reactions observed on a monolayer scale. These results highlight the multiple roles of atomic-scale structure in forming macroscopic electronic properties of compound semiconductor-metal junctions.