Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 February 2011
W/n-GaAs/In Schottky contacts of area 1.75 mm2 were fabricated by deposition of W on (100) n-GaAs by rf Sputtering using rf power values in the range 200–400 Watt. The I-V and high frequency C-V measurements at 300 K, in the 200 Watt W/n-GaAs Schottky contact indicated that W formed a good rectifying contact to n-GaAs, with a rectification ratio (r) of 270, ideality factor (n) of 1.39, reverse saturation current (Io) of 1.2×10−6 A and the C-V barrier height (φbo) of 1.6 V. However, n and Io increased, whereas r and φbo decreased for the W/n-GaAs Schottky contacts prepared using higher rf power. For the 300 Watt W/n-GaAs contact, the values of 70, 1.70, 6.3}10−6 A, and 1.2V for r, n, Io and φbo, respectively, were estimated. The low frequency forward bias capacitance (or surface defect density) was an order of magnitude higher in the 300 Watt contact than in the 200 Watt contact. This fact suggested that the degradation in the quality of W/n-GaAs Schottky contacts fabricated by using high rf power was caused by high density surface defects created during sputter deposition of W on n-GaAs.