GaAs Schottky barrier photo-responsive device and method of fabrication

US4543442A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• George E. Alcorn · Fairfax, US
• Charles Z. Leinkram · Bowie, US
• Olatunji Okunola · Orlando, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 24, 1983
• Grant date: Sep 24, 1985
• Expiry date: Jun 24, 2003

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/544

Abstract

A gallium arsenide photo-responsive device (40) is provided with an intermediate, transparent layer (28) of refractory metal or alkaline earth metal forming a tenacious bond between a non-hydroscopic oxide layer (24) and a noble metal Schottky barrier layer (30). The device has a gallium arsenide substrate with a predetermined type conductivity and a gallium arsenide epitaxial layer (16) with the same type conductivity but a lower charge carrier concentration grown on the substrate. The oxide layer (24) is formed to cover the epitaxial layer (16) and the transparent metal layer (28) followed by the noble metal layer (30) are deposited upon the oxide layer. An interdigitated ohmic contact (32) is then formed upon the noble metal layer.