ELECTRICAL AND OPTICAL-PROPERTIES OF MELTING AU SI EUTECTICS ON SI(111)/

The Au/Si system exhibits an extremely low eutectic temperature of 363 degrees C. Thin gold films of 200 nm thickness were deposited on Si(1 11) single-crystals and the electrical and optical properties of the m elting mixtures were investigated. The resistivity measurements were p erformed in situ in a combined LEED/Auger apparatus. A highly resolvin g spectroscopic ellipsometer was used for the optical analysis in the wavelength range 400-900 nm, The eutectic temperature was found to be lower than for bulk Au/Si samples. The structure analysis showed that small liquid Au/Si islands embedded in the silicon surface are formed by the melting process. Various heating/cooling cycles show a characte ristic hysteresis behaviour.