Effects on interface barrier energies of metal-aluminum oxide-semiconductor (MAS) structures as a function of metal electrode material, charge trapping, and annealing

Abstract

Energy barrier heights at the interfaces of metal‐aluminum oxide‐silicon structures have been measured via internal photoemission as a function of metal electrodematerial, premetallization annealingtreatment, and charge trapping. Barrier heights at the Si–Al2O3interface were insensitive to gate metal, annealingtreatment, and charge trapping. Zero‐field energy barriers for the Au,Ni, Al, or Mg and Al2O3interfaces were found to be 4.1±0.1, 3.7±0.1, 3.2±0.1, and 2.5±0.1 eV, respectively. Effects of charge trapping on the barrier height were measurable only for the Mg–Al2O3interface.Annealingtreatments had no effects on barrier heights within the accuracy of the measurement technique.