Schottky Barrier Inhomogeneities in Nickel Silicide Transrotational Contacts

Ni-silicide/silicon Schottky contacts have been realised by promoting low-temperature Ni-Si interdiffusion during deposition (50 C) and reaction (450 C) on an oxygen-free [001] silicon surface. A 14nm transrotational NiSi layer was produced made of extremely flat pseudo-epitaxial domains (200nm in diameter). The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics (340-80 K) have indicated the presence of structural inhomogeneities which lower the Schottky barrier by 0:1 eV. They have been associated with the core regions of the trans-domains (wherein the silicide lattice is epitaxially aligned to that of Si) since their density (2:5 109 cm2) and dimension (10 nm) fit the I-V curves vs temperature following the Tung's approach. # 2011 The Japan Society of Applied Physics