Au nanoparticles embedded at the interface of Al/4H-SiC Schottky contacts for current density enhancement

Nanostructured contacts, comprised of nanoparticles (NPs) embedded at the interface of contact/semiconductor, offer a viable solution in modification of Schottky barrier height (SBH) in Schottky contacts. The successful performance of devices with such nanostructured contacts requires a feasible selection of NPs/contact material based on theoretical calculations and a cost effective and reproducible route for NPs deposition. Acidification of commercially available colloidal Au NPs solution by HF has been selected here as a simple bench-top technique for deposition of Au NPs on n- and p-type 4H-SiC substrates. Theoretical calculations based on the model of inhomogeneity in SBH (ISBH) were used to make a more appropriate selection of NPs type (Au) and size (5 and 10 nm, diameter) with respect to contact metal (Al). Al/Au NPs/SiC Schottky barrier diodes were then fabricated, and their electrical characteristics exhibited current density enhancement due to the SBH lowering. The source of SBH lowering was determined to be the local electric field enhancement due to NPs effect, which was further investigated using the models of ISBH and tunneling enhancement at triple interface.