Electrical microcharacterization of Si-TaSi2 eutectic composites

Semiconductor-metal eutectic composites, formed by directional solidification from the melt, are composed of arrays of continuous metallic fibers contained within a single-crystal semiconductor matrix. Such composites contain rods having diameters of ≈1 μm with inter-rod spacings on the order of 10 μm. These rods form cylindrical Schottky junctions with the Si and can be used as the basis for a variety of electronic and optoelectronic devices, including photodetectors and bulk field effect transistors. Electron beam induced current (EBIC) measurements permit the determination of the depletion zone surrounding the active regions of a semiconductor material. This method has been used to examine the carrier concentration in a Si-TaSi2 eutectic composite.A portion of an oval transistor mounted on a semiconducting wafer consisting of Si-TaSi2 eutectic material with contacted rod elements was studied. The rods were selectively contacted by a deposited CoSi2 film which provided an ohmic contact to the TaSi2 rods yet formed a rectifying Schottky barrier with the Si matrix.