LOW-TEMPERATURE OHMIC AU SB CONTACTS TO N-TYPE SI/

Au/Sb films annealed at temperatures as low as 370 degrees C yield ohm ic contacts to n-type Si. The contact formation is based on a liquid-p hase epitaxy process of Sb-doped Si from Au solution. Measured contact resistivities range around 3X10(-2) Omega cm(2) and are at least one order of magnitude higher than what is expected from the solid solubil ity of Sb in Si. The discrepancy stems from local inhomogeneous etchin g and epitaxial regrowth of the (100)-oriented Si surface by and from the Au solution. Only a small fraction of the macroscopic contact area is doped by Sb and contributes to current transport across the Au/Si( 100) interface.