Ld. Bell et al., Modification of GaN Schottky barrier interfaces probed by ballistic-electron-emission microscopy and spectroscopy, APPL PHYS L, 76(13), 2000, pp. 1725-1727
Ballistic-electron-emission microscopy (BEEM) and spectroscopy have been us
ed to investigate the properties of Au/GaN interfaces. The effects of in si
tu and ex situ annealing on the starting GaN surface were examined, with th
e aim of increasing the surprisingly low value of interface electron transm
ission observed in previous BEEM measurements. BEEM imaging and spectroscop
y have demonstrated that much higher, more uniform transmission across the
Au/GaN interface can be achieved. However, while methods were identified th
at increase transmission by more than an order of magnitude, BEEM spectrosc
opy indicates that annealing can substantially alter the Schottky barrier h
eight. These barrier height changes at moderate temperatures are attributed
to vacancy diffusion. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(
00)03113-2].