Metal contacts to group IV semiconductors by inserting interfacial atomic monolayers

摘要

Techniques for reducing the specific contact resistance of metal-semiconductor (group IV) junctions by interposing a monolayer of group V or group III atoms at the interface between the metal and the semiconductor, or interposing a bi-layer made of one monolayer of each, or interposing multiple such bi-layers. The resulting low specific resistance metal-group IV semiconductor junctions find application as a low resistance electrode in semiconductor devices including electronic devices (e.g., transistors, diodes, etc.) and optoelectronic devices (e.g., lasers, solar cells, photodetectors, etc.) and/or as a metal source and/or drain region (or a portion thereof) in a field effect transistor (FET). The monolayers of group III and group V atoms are predominantly ordered layers of atoms formed on the surface of the group IV semiconductor and chemically bonded to the surface atoms of the group IV semiconductor.

主权项

1. An electrical contact, comprising a metal and a group IV semiconductor separated by one of:
(i) a monolayer of group V atoms; or (ii) one or more bi-layers, each bi-layer consisting of one monolayer of group V atoms and one monolayer of group III atomsat an interface between the metal and the group IV semiconductor, the atoms of the monolayer of group V atoms or of each bi-layer of group V and group III atoms, respectively, being in epitaxial alignment with a lattice structure of the group IV semiconductor.