Investigation of Ti/Al and TiN/Al thin films as the stable ohmic contact for p-type 4H-SiC

• Published in: Journal of electronic materials Vol. 32; no. 6; pp. 501 - 504
• Main Authors: LEE, Byung-Teak, SHIN, Jong-Yoon, KIM, Seon-Hoon, KIM, Jin-Hyeok, HAN, Sang-Yoon, JONG LAM LEE
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 01.06.2003; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Composition; defects and impurities; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Metallization, contacts, interconnects; device isolation; Metals. Metallurgy; Microelectronic fabrication (materials and surfaces technology); Physics; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Ohmic contact; Voltage current curve; Solid solid interface; Metallizing; Titanium nitride; Transition metal; Aluminium; Experimental study; Thermal stability; Inorganic compound; Thin film; Surface; Rapid thermal annealing; Microelectronic fabrication; Silicon carbide; Transition metal compounds; Morphology; Titanium; Interface reaction; Wide band gap semiconductors; Wafer
• ISSN: 0361-5235; 1543-186X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11664-003-0133-z

Interfacial reactions, surface morphology, and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of Ti/Al/4H-SiC and TiN/Al/4H-SiC were studied before and after high-temperature annealing. It was observed that surface smoothness of the samples was not significantly affected by the heat treatment at up to 900DGC, in contrast to the case of Al/SiC. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation of the Ti(TiN)/Al/SiC interface showed that Al layer reacted with the SiC substrate at 900DGC and formed an Al-Si-(Ti)-C compound at the metal/SiC interface, which is similar to the case of the Al/SiC interface. The I-V measurement showed reasonable ohmic properties for the Ti/Al films, indicating that the films can be used to stabilize the Al/SiC contact by protecting the Al layer from the potential oxidation and evaporation problem, while maintaining proper contact properties.