Titanium silicide contacts on semiconducting diamond substrates

Abstract

Titanium silicide contacts have been deposited on semiconducting (p-type) natural diamond substrates by the codeposition of silicon and titanium by electron-beam evaporation. Current-voltage (I–V) measurements conducted at room temperature have demonstrated rectifying characteristics. Consistent with the observed small turn-on voltage, the corresponding I–V measurements recorded at 400°C exhibit ohmic-like behaviour. However, on subsequent annealing of the titanium silicide contacts at 1100°C in a vacuum of ∼10−6 Torr for 30min, stable rectifying I–V characteristics were observed in the 25–400°C temperature range.