Metal-insulator-semiconductor tunneling microscope: two-dimensional dopantprofiling of semiconductors with conducting atomic-force microscopy

A method for two-dimensional carrier profiling is presented, based on tunne ling from a conducting atomic-force microscope (AFM) probe tip to a semicon ductor sample. Current-voltage data are taken during the AFM scan on a cros s-sectioned sample consisting of epitaxial InP multilayers. The results sho w a clear dependence of the current-voltage characteristics on the carrier concentration and different behavior for n-and p-type InP. Modeling of the data enables one to use this method as a quantitative tool for high-resolut ion two-dimensional dopant profiling. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physic s. [S0003-6951(00)03329-5].