Metal electrode with tunable work functions
US10418457B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 21, 2018 |
| Grant date | Sep 17, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 21, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10N30/877
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The structures and methods disclosed herein include changing composition of a metal alloy layer in an epitaxial electrode material to achieve tunable work functions for the electrode. In one example, the tunable work function is achieved using a layered structure, in which a crystalline rare earth oxide (REO) layer is epitaxially over a substrate or semiconductor, and a metal layer is over the crystalline REO layer. A semiconductor layer is thus in turn epitaxially grown over the metal layer, with a metal alloy layer over the semiconductor layer such that the ratio of constituents in the metal alloy is used to tune the work function of the metal layer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.