Schottky contacts of Gd-Pt and Gd-V alloys on n-Si and p-Si

Abstract

Alloys of Gd‐Pt and Gd‐V, both Gd‐rich and Pt or V‐rich, have been prepared by coevaporation onto n‐ and p‐type Si for Schottky contact formation. Structural and electrical properties of these contacts after various heat treatments have been studied by combining x‐ray diffraction, backscattering spectroscopy, and current‐voltage measurement. We found that these alloys produced a mixture of silicides on Si; i.e., they formed parallel contacts of GdSi₂ and PtSi or GdSi₂ and VSi₂ to Si. We also found that the sum of apparent Schottky barrier heights of these parallel contacts on n‐Si and p‐Si is not necessarily equal to the value of the band gap of Si, which we recall is always true for a single phase contact.