Citation/Abstract

The microstructures and growth of crystalline structures of single Al and Cr metal Schottky contacts and Al-Cr bimetal Schottky contacts on p-type Si have been investigated using an analytical transmission electron microscope (TEM). The analytical TEM was used to determine the precise film thickness and grain size of the coated materials as well as chemical composition and morphology. The transition from the amorphous state to the crystalline state in the coated materials was observed from 60A to 150A and from 120A to 250A at the Al layer and the Cr layer, respectively. The microstructure of crystalline grains (both Al and Cr) exhibited the columnar structure in the normal direction on the silicon substrate. Characterization studies of Schottky barrier samples show that the microstructure and thickness of the layer in the Schottky contact are important for the Schottky barrier height of Al, Cr, and Al-Cr contacts.