Improved stability of Pd/Ti contacts to p-type SiC under continuous DC and pulsed DC current stress

B. P. Downey; S. E. Mohney; J. R. Flemish

doi:10.1007/s11664-010-1482-z

Improved stability of Pd/Ti contacts to p-type SiC under continuous DC and pulsed DC current stress

B. P. Downey, S. E. Mohney, J. R. Flemish

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The enhanced stability of Pd/Ti contacts to p-type SiC under high-current-density continuous direct-current (DC) stressing is investigated and compared with previous work on Ti/Al contacts. Additionally, differing failure modes were observed for the Pd/Ti contacts under continuous DC and pulsed DC stress. The improved stability of the Pd/Ti contacts is demonstrated through a 29% increase in the applied continuous DC current required to cause electrical failure during a 1 h test compared with the Ti/Al contacts. The metallization scheme includes a TiW barrier and a thick electroplated Au overlayer. While severe intermixing and voiding in the ohmic contact layer caused the Pd/Ti contacts to fail under continuous DC stress, electromigration of the Au overlayer degraded the contacts under pulsed DC stress. The temperature of the surface of the contacts was reduced from over 649°C for contacts that failed under continuous DC current to between 316°C and 371°C for pulsed DC current. The difference in temperature and failure modes of the continuous and pulsed DC stressed contacts indicates different failure mechanisms.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	406-412
Number of pages	7
Journal	Journal of Electronic Materials
Volume	40
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-010-1482-z
State	Published - Apr 2011

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Condensed Matter Physics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Materials Chemistry

Access to Document

10.1007/s11664-010-1482-z

Cite this

@article{94d5736db624475aaaa7a200642f2d0c,

title = "Improved stability of Pd/Ti contacts to p-type SiC under continuous DC and pulsed DC current stress",

abstract = "The enhanced stability of Pd/Ti contacts to p-type SiC under high-current-density continuous direct-current (DC) stressing is investigated and compared with previous work on Ti/Al contacts. Additionally, differing failure modes were observed for the Pd/Ti contacts under continuous DC and pulsed DC stress. The improved stability of the Pd/Ti contacts is demonstrated through a 29% increase in the applied continuous DC current required to cause electrical failure during a 1 h test compared with the Ti/Al contacts. The metallization scheme includes a TiW barrier and a thick electroplated Au overlayer. While severe intermixing and voiding in the ohmic contact layer caused the Pd/Ti contacts to fail under continuous DC stress, electromigration of the Au overlayer degraded the contacts under pulsed DC stress. The temperature of the surface of the contacts was reduced from over 649°C for contacts that failed under continuous DC current to between 316°C and 371°C for pulsed DC current. The difference in temperature and failure modes of the continuous and pulsed DC stressed contacts indicates different failure mechanisms.",

author = "Downey, {B. P.} and Mohney, {S. E.} and Flemish, {J. R.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported in part by the Exploratory and Foundational Graduate Student Research Program provided by the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State University and through the use of facilities at The Pennsylvania State University Materials Research Institute Nano Fabrication Network under the National Science Foundation Cooperative Agreement No. 0335765, National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network, with Cornell University.",

year = "2011",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1007/s11664-010-1482-z",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "40",

pages = "406--412",

journal = "Journal of Electronic Materials",

issn = "0361-5235",

publisher = "Springer New York",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Improved stability of Pd/Ti contacts to p-type SiC under continuous DC and pulsed DC current stress

AU - Downey, B. P.

AU - Mohney, S. E.

AU - Flemish, J. R.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported in part by the Exploratory and Foundational Graduate Student Research Program provided by the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State University and through the use of facilities at The Pennsylvania State University Materials Research Institute Nano Fabrication Network under the National Science Foundation Cooperative Agreement No. 0335765, National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network, with Cornell University.

PY - 2011/4

Y1 - 2011/4

N2 - The enhanced stability of Pd/Ti contacts to p-type SiC under high-current-density continuous direct-current (DC) stressing is investigated and compared with previous work on Ti/Al contacts. Additionally, differing failure modes were observed for the Pd/Ti contacts under continuous DC and pulsed DC stress. The improved stability of the Pd/Ti contacts is demonstrated through a 29% increase in the applied continuous DC current required to cause electrical failure during a 1 h test compared with the Ti/Al contacts. The metallization scheme includes a TiW barrier and a thick electroplated Au overlayer. While severe intermixing and voiding in the ohmic contact layer caused the Pd/Ti contacts to fail under continuous DC stress, electromigration of the Au overlayer degraded the contacts under pulsed DC stress. The temperature of the surface of the contacts was reduced from over 649°C for contacts that failed under continuous DC current to between 316°C and 371°C for pulsed DC current. The difference in temperature and failure modes of the continuous and pulsed DC stressed contacts indicates different failure mechanisms.

AB - The enhanced stability of Pd/Ti contacts to p-type SiC under high-current-density continuous direct-current (DC) stressing is investigated and compared with previous work on Ti/Al contacts. Additionally, differing failure modes were observed for the Pd/Ti contacts under continuous DC and pulsed DC stress. The improved stability of the Pd/Ti contacts is demonstrated through a 29% increase in the applied continuous DC current required to cause electrical failure during a 1 h test compared with the Ti/Al contacts. The metallization scheme includes a TiW barrier and a thick electroplated Au overlayer. While severe intermixing and voiding in the ohmic contact layer caused the Pd/Ti contacts to fail under continuous DC stress, electromigration of the Au overlayer degraded the contacts under pulsed DC stress. The temperature of the surface of the contacts was reduced from over 649°C for contacts that failed under continuous DC current to between 316°C and 371°C for pulsed DC current. The difference in temperature and failure modes of the continuous and pulsed DC stressed contacts indicates different failure mechanisms.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79952196546&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79952196546&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s11664-010-1482-z

DO - 10.1007/s11664-010-1482-z

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:79952196546

SN - 0361-5235

VL - 40

SP - 406

EP - 412

JO - Journal of Electronic Materials

JF - Journal of Electronic Materials

IS - 4

ER -

Improved stability of Pd/Ti contacts to p-type SiC under continuous DC and pulsed DC current stress

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this