Characterization of SiGeC Using Pt(SiGeC) Silicide Schottky Contacts

Material and electrical characterization of n-type and p-type Si1-x-yGex Cy epitaxial layers on Si(100) was performed using silicided platinum Schottky contacts. XRD studies show Pt silcidation of SiGeC proceeds from non-reacted Pt to Pt2(SiGeC) and completes with the Pt(SiGeC) phase similar to Pt/Si silicides, but Pt silicide reactions with SiGeC are shown to require higher temperatures than Pt reactions with Si. Electrical characterization of Pt(SiGeC) contacts to n-type Sil1-x-yGexCx/Si shows rectifying behavior with constant barrier heights of 0.67eV independent of composition, indicating Fermi level pinning relative to the SiGeC conduction band is occurring. Pt(SiGeC) contacts to p-type Si1-x-yGexCy/Si are also rectifying with barrier heights that track the variation of the SiGeC energy bandgap.