Into the Origin of Electrical Conductivity for the Metal-Semiconductor Junction at the Atomic Level

TL;DR

This study investigates the atomic-level origins of electrical conductivity in metal-semiconductor junctions, revealing how crystallographic orientation affects their rectifying properties and conductivity regimes.

Contribution

It provides new insights into how atomic-scale structure and orientation influence the electrical behavior of metal-semiconductor interfaces.

Findings

Crystallographic orientation significantly affects the rectifying properties.

Orientation influences the Fermi level and band edge at the interface.

Conductivity can switch between Ohmic and Schottky regimes based on orientation.

Abstract

The metal-semiconductor (M-S) junction based devices are commonly used in all sorts of electronic devices. Their electrical properties are defined by the metallic phase properties with a respect to the semiconductor used. Here we make an in-depth survey on the origin of the M-S junction at the atomic scale by studying the properties of the AuIn2 nanoelectrodes formed on the InP(001) surface by the in situ electrical measurements in combination with a detailed investigation of atomically resolved structure supported by the first-principle calculations of its local electrical properties. We have found that a different crystallographic orientation of the same metallic phase with a respect to the semiconductor structure influences strongly the M-S junction rectifying properties by subtle change of the metal Fermi level and influencing the band edge moving at the interface. This ultimately changes conductivity regime between Ohmic and Schottky type. The effect of crystallographic orientation has to be taken into account in the engineering of the M-S junction-based electronic devices.