Method for forming contacts to p-type HgCdTe semiconductor material using lead and tin

Abstract

A method for making an adhesive ohmic contact to a p-type semiconductor metal substrate or layer (10) comprises tin and lead. The contact preferably includes a tin/lead film (24) approximately 2000 .ANG. in thickness. The p-type semiconductor compound contains mercury and, while described in conjunction with Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te, other elements exhibiting group II and group VI chemical behavior and properties may be used A cap layer (30) is deposited over film (24), followed by insulating layer (32). Via (34) is then formed and, to complete contact (50), a metal (36) is deposited inside via (34).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to electronic semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to an adhesive ohmic contact used in conjunction with a p-type semiconductor material containing mercury.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In order to effectively build circuits on p-type Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te, electrical contacts to the substrate must be established. Ohmic contacts to p-type Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te have proven difficult because most common contacting processes either convert the semiconductor to n-type, thereby creating a p-n junction diode in the p-type material or result in a Schottky diode. Ohmic contacts to p-type Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te have typically been made by the deposition of gold using either electroless plating in a gold solution or by thermal evaporation These contacts prove less than durable. Attempts have also been made to use copper, platinum, germanium, aluminum, titanium, HgTe and small-bandgap Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te.

While contacts using gold as the contact metal (particularly electroless gold) can be ohmic and of low resistance, they suffer from a mechanically weak gold to Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te interface, which causes poor adhesion of gold film. These films often delaminate during the processing that is required to build a multilayer integrated circuit. Even if gross delamination does not occur, these gold contacts are plagued by non-reproducible contact resistances which may also result from a lack of integrity at the gold to Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te interface. Platinum, germanium, aluminum and titanium produce rectifying and therefore highly resistive contacts. Copper is an acceptor in Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te and is known to diffuse quickly at room temperature. Even small amounts of copper in contact with Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te have the potential to raise the acceptor concentration of the entire slice to levels which will dramatically degrade Metal Insulator Semiconductor (MIS) performance.

High quality films of small-bandgap Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te and HgTe grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) or metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) have been shown to produce ohmic contacts to p-type Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te, but require expensive and complex deposition equipment and deposition temperatures which are problematically high compared to Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te processing temperatures. Selective area deposition by MBE or MOCVD on Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te is difficult if not impossible.

HgTe contacts formed using thermal evaporation of HgTe onto a 5.degree. C. substrate requires considerable thermal annealing to become ohmic and does not achieve specific contact resistances as low as tin contacts.

A long felt need therefore continues to exist for an improved contact to a p-type semiconductor material containing mercury.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, an adhesive ohmic contact is made to a p-type semiconductor material that contains mercury, and includes elements exhibiting the chemical behavior and properties of group II elements and group VI elements. The contact contains tin.

The contact may be prepared by depositing a passivation layer upon a face of the p-type semiconductor material that contains mercury. A photoresist layer is formed over the passivation layer. The photoresist layer is patterned and a wet etch such as HCl forms an anisotropic via through the passivation layer to the face of the semiconductor material. This wet etch is followed by a 5% nitric acid dip to clean the surface of the semiconductor material of any residual oxide.

Tin is then deposited on the exposed surface of the semiconductor material followed by deposit of a cap containing TiO.sub.x N.sub.y. Next, the metal and photoresist not protected by the cap are lifted and an insulating layer is formed on all top and exterior lateral surfaces. The insulating layer is then etched to the tin film to form a via having exterior lateral margins. Finally, a metal is inserted to form a contact buss to the diode contact.

Somewhat desirable results have also been obtained by a similar process which replaced the HCl etch and nitric acid dip with a 1/8% bromine in methanol solution wet etch followed by a sulfuric acid dip. Additionally, lead may be substituted for tin in the present invention.

An integrated circuit is formed on a semiconductor substrate of semiconductor material containing mercury and containing a plurality of p-type areas formed on the semiconductor material. Each p-type area has a conductive ohmic adhesive contact.

The technical advantages of the present invention include the following:

1. The equipment required to produce tin contacts to p-type Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te is relatively simple and inexpensive when compared to MBE or MOCVD reactors.

2. The process is compatible with Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te device processing temperatures and allows selected area deposition using standard photolithographic techniques.

3. The contacts are ohmic after a low temperature anneal but are stable up to at least 150.degree. C.

4. Adhesion of the tin to the Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te and of tin to ZnS (the gate dielectric for MIS devices) and of ZnS to tin is excellent.

5. Tin is also a good ohmic contact to ion implanted Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te which allows a single tin film to serve both as a substrate contact and n on p diode contact.

An important aspect of this invention is that the capacitance of MIS devices with tin substrate contacts is virtually independent of frequency which indicates excellent substrate contact. The capacitance varies by no more than 1.5% from 4 kHz to 1 MHz.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects of the invention and their advantages will be discerned when one refers to the following detailed description as taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are greatly enlarged schematic elevational sectional views of a p-type Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te semiconductor layer showing progressive stages in the fabrication of an adhesive ohmic contact according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is a chart depicting the measured resistance as a function of transmission line spacing for tin contacts on five micron, p-type Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te;

FIG. 8 is a chart depicting the specific contact resistance of tin contacts to five micron, p-type HgCdTe as a function of anneal conditions; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic functional block diagram of a transistor for which the invention may be used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiment of the present invention is best understood by referring to FIGS. 1 through 9 of the drawings, like numerals being used for like and corresponding parts of the various drawings.

FIGS. 1 through 6 are greatly enlarged schematic elevational sectional views of progressive stages in a fabrication process according to the invention. Referring first to FIG. 1, a p-type semiconductor material substrate or layer 10 containing mercury is provided, such as Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te. While the invention is described in conjunction with Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te semiconductors, it has application to any ternary or quaternary semiconductor containing mercury. For example, other semiconductor compounds containing mercury may be used, such as Hg.sub.1-x Zn.sub.x Te, Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Se and Hg.sub.1-x Zn.sub.x Se. Additionally, elements exhibiting group II or group VI chemical behavior and properties may be used For example, manganese, which possesses chemical properties similar to group II elements, may be substituted for cadmium, yielding Hg.sub.1-x Mn.sub.x Te and Hg.sub.1-x Mn.sub.x Se. Further, the mercury value in these compounds may vary stoichiometrically from near zero to near one. For infrared sensor applications, mercury x values will range from 0.3 to 0.4. A passivation layer 12 is deposited over layer 10 by any well known means approximately 2000 .ANG. thick. The passivation layer may be zinc sulfide, cadmium telluride, silicon nitride or another layer known in the literature to be suitable for passivating Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te. A photoresist layer 14 is then deposited over the passivation layer 12. Xylene or another photoresist solvent is selectively applied to photoresist layer 14 to form photoresist pattern 16 shown in FIG. 2.

Turning next to FIG. 3, the photoresist patterning is followed by an HCl (50% to 75% concentration depending on the thickness of the passivation layer 12) wet etch to remove the zinc sulfide. The HCl etch is isotropic, leaving sides 18 of via 20 very rough with some undercut. The HCl etch is water rinsed and then followed immediately by a 5% nitric acid cleaning (nitric dip) of the surface 22 to remove any residual oxide from the surface 22. This cleaning step is important to assure continuity of the tin film deposited thereafter. Evaporated tin on Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te which has had the native oxide stripped with nitric or lactic acid forms a smooth specular film.

FIG. 4 depicts the deposit of a tin film 24 of approximately 2000 .ANG. thick to form an ohmic contact on the surface 22. Additionally, metal film is also deposited (not shown) on the surface of the photoresist pattern 16. Sputtered or evaporated tin may be successfully used for the metal film 24. The tin will nucleate preferentially on the exposed surface of HgCdTe layer 10 and will not adhere to the sidewalls of zinc sulfide layer 12. Lead and mixtures of tin and lead may also be used for metal film 24.

Referring next to FIG. 5, it will sometimes happen that a gap 28 will appear between the sidewall of the zinc sulfide layer 18 and the surface 29 of the tin contact 24, exposing areas of the semiconductor 10. In order to minimize any problem gap 28, a cap layer 30 is applied over metal film 24. The cap layer could comprise TiO.sub.x N.sub.y. The value of x and y may range stoichiometrically from 0.1 to 0.4, and from 0.9 to 0.6, respectively. Preferably x is approximately 0.3 and y is approximately 0.7. Next, photoresist layer 14 and the tin deposited thereon is lifted, leaving metal film 24 as capped by cap layer 30.

FIG. 6 illustrates the next step of depositing another zinc sulfide insulating layer 32 followed by defining and forming a via 34 having sidewalls spaced interiorly from any gap 28. Finally, to make a contact 50, a metal 36 is deposited inside via 34. The metal 36 could comprise indium or an In/Pb alloy.

A similar process may also be used which substitutes, for the HCl wet etch, a wet etch of the zinc sulfide using a 1/8% bromine in methanol solution, followed by a sulfuric acid etch. A tin film having thickness of approximately 2000 .ANG. is then precipitated from evaporated tin onto the Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te surface to complete the contact.

According to the invention, these contacts are ohmic with a 77K specific contact resistance of 0.02 ohm-cm or less after an overnight anneal at 100.degree. C.

EXAMPLE I

Tin contacts are suitable as low-resistance, low-noise, reliable and manufacturable ohmic contacts to p-type Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te. A transmission line test structure was formed which had five 5.times.40 mil lines separated by 1, 2, 3 and 4 mils. Except where noted, the Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te used in these experiments was grown by LPE and had a five micron cutoff wavelength and carrier concentrations in the mid 10.sup.14 to mid 10.sup.15 cm.sup.-3. The surface of the Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te was passivated and blanket coated with a ZnS dielectric which produced a positive flatband condition and thus controlled surface currents. Vias for transmission lines were then opened in the ZnS using a photoresist mask and sulfuric acid etch. The exposed Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te surface then got various treatments followed by the deposition of the contact material being investigated. Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te surface treatments included, but were not limited to: 1/16% bromine in methanol etch; oxygen plasma ash; oxygen plasma ash followed by a nitric or lactic acid etch; vacuum anneal, air anneal and combinations of the above.

The contact materials investigated included but were not limited to: electroless gold, evaporated gold, evaporated HgTe, evaporated tellurium and evaporated tin. Bond metal was then deposited over the contact material and the devices were tested by measuring the 77K current versus voltage curves by the four point probe method.

The electroless gold contacts which survived processing were rectifying and highly resistive as processed. After annealing at 100.degree. C. overnight, and at 120.degree. C. for one hour, the gold contacts became ohmic with 77K specific contact resistances between 1 and 0.01 ohm-cm.sup.2. However, the electroless gold to Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te bond was shown to be a weak one and many of these devices did not survive processing.

This is consistent with the adhesion problems and non-reproducibility of the electroless gold contacts currently used for substrate contacts to p-type Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te devices.

The HgTe contacts were rectifying and highly resistive as processed as well as after extended 100.degree. C. bakes. After annealing at 140.degree. C. for one hour the HgTe contacts became ohmic with 77K specific contact resistances between 0.5 and 0.01 ohm-cm.sup.2. No adhesion problems were experienced with the HgTe contacts. Tin contacts were ohmic as processed or became ohmic with 77K specific contact resistances of 0.02 ohm-cm.sup.2 or less after an overnight bake at 100.degree. C. FIG. 7 shows the measured resistance as a function of line separation for tin contacts on 5 micron p-type Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te. ("5-micron" being indicative of the approximate wavelength to which the device will be sensitive.) The specific contact resistance of these tin contacts as a function of bake temperature is shown in FIG. 8. Tin contacts on 10 micron p-type Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te with carrier concentrations in the mid 10.sup.14 cm.sup.-3 were shown to have specific contact resistance of 0.01 ohm-cm or less at 77K.

EXAMPLE II

Tin contacts were deposited on actual MIS devices built on 5 micron p-type Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te with carrier concentrations in the mid 10.sup.- 4 cm.sup.-3. The capacitance of these devices was virtually independent of frequency which indicates excellent substrate contact. The capacitance varies by no more than 1.5% from 4 kHz to 1 MHz.

FIG. 9 depicts a transistor formed on p-type material with n-type source and drain regions, wherein the p-tank is connected to ground using an adhesive ohmic contact according to the invention.

According to this invention, the use of tin as a contact metal on p-type Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te is applicable to the entire range of x. For x values larger than 0.5, ohmic contacts to p-type material are a problem even at a temperature of 300.degree. K. Tin should be an effective contact material for these short wavelength systems as well as for the 5 micron and larger wavelength systems.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention and their advantages have been set forth in the above detailed description, the invention is not limited thereto but only by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A process for fabricating an adhesive ohmic contact to a face of p-type semiconductor material containing mercury, comprising the steps of:

defining a contact area on the face of the material; and

depositing a metal film comprising lead and tin on the contact area.

2. The process claim 1, wherein said metal film is deposited by sputtering.

3. The process claim 1, wherein said metal film is deposited from evaporated tin.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein said metal film is approximately 2000 .ANG. in thickness.

5. The process of claim 1, and further comprising, prior to said step of depositing:

forming a passivation layer on the face of the semiconductor material;

forming a photoresist layer on the passivation layer;

developing the photoresist layer to selectively form a photoresist pattern;

etching areas of the passivation layer exposed by the photoresist pattern to form at least one via having sidewalls and to expose said contact area; and

cleaning the surface of said contact area of any residual oxide.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein said step of the etching comprises the step of etching the passivation layer with an HCl solution.

7. The process of claim 5, wherein said step of cleaning comprises the step of cleaning said contact area with nitric or lactic acid.

8. The process of claim 5, wherein the passivation layer comprises ZnS.

9. The process of claim 5, and further comprising, after the said step of depositing:

forming a cap on said metal film;

forming a second passivation layer in the via over the cap;

etching said second passivation layer to said metal film to form a second via having sidewalls spaced interiorly from the sidewalls of the via; and

depositing a metal in said second via to form a contact.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein the cap comprises TiO.sub.x N.sub.y, x being a real number in the range of 0.1 to 0.4 and y being a real number in the range of 0.9 to 0.6.

11. The process of claim 9, wherein the second passivation layer comprises ZnS.

12. The process of claim 9, wherein the metal comprises lead.

13. The process of claim 9, wherein the metal comprises indium.

14. A process for forming a contact metal for a p-type Hg.sub.1-x Cd.sub.x Te surface comprising the steps of:

etching the surface; and

precipitating a metal film comprising lead and tin from evaporated lead and tin onto the surface.

15. The process of claim 14, wherein said step of etching comprises the step of etching the surface in a 150 percent (%) bromine in methanol solution.

16. The process of claim 14, wherein said step of etching comprises the step of etching the surface in a 150 percent (%) bromine in methanol solution followed by a sulfuric acid etch.