An investigation of the properties of intimate InInxGa1-xAs(100) interfaces formed at room and cryogenic temperatures

Abstract The electrical, chemical and structural properties of the interfaces formed at room and low temperatures, between In and atomically clean In 53 Ga 47 As/InP(100) have been studied. Current-voltage measurements indicate that diodes formed at 80 K exhibit significantly higher Schottky barriers (φ b = 0.45 eV) than diodes formed at 294 K (φ b = 0.30 eV). The reactions occurring during the formation of In In 53 Ga 47 As/InP(100) interfaces at room and low temperatures have been investigated using Soft X-Ray photoemission spectroscopy. Our results show that metallisation at room temperature results in a predominantly three dimensional mode of growth, accompanied by the out-diffusion of As. Low temperature (125 K) metallisation appears to reduce clustering and inhibit As out-diffusion. Examination of the resulting interfaces by transmission electron microscopy confirms the more uniform nature of the metal layers formed at low temperature. These observations, in conjunction with the barrier heights measured by the I-V technique, are discussed in the context of currently supported models of Schottky barrier formation.