Study on electrical characteristics of metal/boron nitride/metal and boronnitride/silicon structures

Polycrystalline boron nitride films are synthesized by plasma-assisted chem ical vapor deposition (PA-CVD). Metal/BN/metal samples are fabricated and e lectrical characterization are performed for metal (Ni,Cu,Ti)/BN contacts. Ni/BN contact can be regarded as an ohmic property. However, Cu/BN and Ti/B N contacts show Schottky characteristics. For the Ti/BN sample, Schottky ba rrier height as high as 1 eV is achieved. It is found that the BN films sho w p-type conduction from the relationship between Schottky barrier height a nd metal work function. Also fabricated is a Ni/BN/n-Si diode, current-volt age (I-V) characteristics of which demonstrate a rectification ratio as hig h as 10(5). (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.