Ion implantation and anneal to produce low resistance metal-diamond contacts

Contacts to boron-doped, (100)-oriented diamond implanted with Si or with S i and B were formed and the effects of dose, implantation energy and anneal treatment on the specific contact resistance were examined. Ti/Au contacts on heavily implanted diamond (10(16) Si ions cm(-2), E-i = 30 keV or 10(17 ) Si and B ions cm(-2), E-i = 15 keV (Si) and E-i = 10 keV (B)) had a speci fic contact resistance lower than the best contacts produced on unimplanted diamond. A specific contact resistance of (1.4 +/- 6.4) x 10(-7) Ohm cm(-2 ) was achieved following a 450 degrees C anneal. The results were consisten t with a reduction in barrier height brought about by silicide formation. L ight silicon implantation (10(13) ions cm(-2)) or relatively light dual imp lantation (B, Si < 10(16) ions cm-2) did not reduce the specific contact re sistance. Increasing the diamond conductivity by 4 x 10(4) decreased the sp ecific contact resistance by over three orders of magnitude, in agreement w ith the trend observed by Prins (J.F. Prins, J. Phys. D 22 (1989) 1562). (C ) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.