OHMIC CONTACT

RESISTANCE RESEARCH
By
Aya Emen
20.05.2013

Contact resistance depends

on;
Epitaxy

-Barrier layer (Al concentration)

-Barrier layer thickness
-GaN cap layer
Metal stack
-type of metals
-thickness
-ratios
Annealing
-annealing temperature
-annealing time
-thermal ramp rate

For AlGaN/GaN HEMT

Low contact resistance (Rc) decreases

losses reduces self heating and promotes

higher fT and Fmax
Ohmic contact formation in AlGaN/GaN
during annealing that, N is extracted from
the AlGaN, leaving vacancies behind which
act as n-dopants
Current flow: thermionic, tunneling
Rc<0,5 ohm mm satisfactory in general

 Ti/Al/Ni/Au contacts on Al0,24Ga0,76N/GaN HEMT on SI-SiC

Ns=1x 1013 cm2,
= 1400 cm2/V.S ,
Rs=450 ohm/sq
Al/Ti= 7.5

Ni thickness affects contact Resiastance

Au thickness affects surface morphology
Best: Ni :1.8X, Au: 1X annealed @ 832 C
30s
Rc=0,26 ohm mm
Surface Rougness: ~22 nm

 Ti/Al/Pt/Au contacts on HEMT on sapphire 200/800/400/1500

A
Annealed @900C for 35s.
Rc=0,039 ohm mm
Hall measurements:

Ns=1.85x 1013 cm2,

= 460 cm2/V.S ,
Rs=450 ohm/sq

 Nsx=1,670 x 1016

1/V.S

DC Measurements:

Idss=1000mA/mm@ Vgs=0.5
V
gm=200mS/mm @Vg=-4V
Vbr>70V

 Ti/Al/Ni/Au (30/90/30/100 nm) contacts on

Al0,25Ga0,75N/GaN HEMT on SI-SiC

Annealed @900C for 30s
RTP ramping rates varying

 IDS-Sat decrease by

decreasing ramp rate

type I: 420mA/mm
type : 260mA/mm

 IDS (V=15V)
Type : 715 A/mm
Type II: 86 A/mm
Type :76 A/mm
Thermal stress induced N vacancy
IGS leakage
Type I >by 2 orders of magnitude
Increased surface/interface charge

caused by N vacancy, lowers the

barrier height and increases gate
leakage

 Ti/Al/Ni/Au (200/1200/500/2000 A) contacts on

Al0,28Ga0,72N/GaN HEMT on sapphire

Ns=6x 1012 cm2,
= 900 cm2/V.S ,
Rs=420,6 ohm/sq
Annealed @900C for 30s.
Rc=0,752 ohm mm
Subjected to thermal aging for 3 different temperatures

Thermally induced changes in total resistance

Themally induced changes in Total rrrrrrresistance

At T <525C Al-Au become liquid and penetrates into AlGaN layer, consume AlGaN
and decrease 2DEG density under ohmic metal, increasing sheet resistance.
Rs from 420,6 to 2362,7 ohm/sq

 Ti/Al/Mo/Au (15/65/35/50 nm ) contacts on

n-Al0,28Ga0,72N/GaN HEMT on SiC

Ns=1,2 x 1013 cm2,
= 1200 cm2/V.S ,
Annealed at diferent temperatures
(400,500,650,700,850 ve 950 C) for 30s
Best : Rc=0,176 ohm mm @850 C

 At 850 C condition, high density TiN islands were observed to

have nonuniformly formed along threading dislocations and

had penetrated through the AlGaN into the underlying GaN
Layer and allowed direct transport of carriers across the AlGaN.
The size,
density, and distribution of the TiN islands were crucial in
promoting and
enabling efficient electron transport.