Electrical and low frequency noise properties of Gd and GdCo silicide contacts on n-type Si

Gd and GdCo layers were evaporated onto n-type silicon and silicides were f ormed by in situ annealing at 400 and 700 degrees C. The electrical propert ies of the resulting Schottky diodes were investigated by current-voltage, capacitance-voltage and low frequency noise measurements. The Gd/Si contact s show an ohmic behaviour for both annealing temperatures, while the GdCo/S i contacts show a rectifying behaviour with a high (similar to 0.65 eV) and a low (similar to 0.52 eV) Schottky barrier height for the annealing tempe ratures of 400 and 700 degrees C, respectively. It was found that Co retard s the Cd-Si reaction and reduces the density of the donor-type point defect s generated within the silicon substrate during the Gd silicidation process .