USA as Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Phononic Devices, Inc.

Ian Patrick Wellenius

John F Muth

Noel A Guardala

Allen Gray

Jack L Price

Jason D Reed

Jaime A Rumsey

Arthur Prejs

Ronald R Hess

Embodiments of a low resistivity ohmic contact are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of fabricating a low resistivity ohmic contact includes providing a semiconductor material layer and intentionally roughening the semiconductor material layer to create a characteristic surface roughness. The method also includes providing an ohmic contact metal layer on a surface of the semiconductor material layer and providing a diffusion barrier metal layer on a surface of the ohmic contact metal layer opposite the semiconductor material layer. In this way, the adhesive force between the semiconductor material layer and the ohmic contact metal layer may be increased.

Low resistivity ohmic contact

As typically embodied, the inventive method features bombardment of atomic nuclei withHe ions in order to effect transmutation of atoms from a first atomic element to a second atomic element. Two notable inventive genres describe transmutation of: oxygen to nitrogen in an oxygen-containing target (e.g., including ZnO film); and, carbon to boron in a carbon-containing target (e.g., including SiC film). According to the former, transmutation ofO toN occurs; more specifically, transmutation ofO toO occurs via nuclear bombardment, and then transmutation ofO toN occurs via decay by positron emission. According to the latter, transmutation ofC toB occurs; more specifically, transmutation ofC toC occurs via nuclear bombardment, and then transmutation ofC toB occurs via decay by positron emission. Inventive practice frequently results in significant alteration of at least one physical property among: electronic carrier concentration; resistivity; photoconductivity; luminescence; morphology.

Doping of semiconductor materials by nuclear transmutation

Growing community of inventors

Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Ian Patrick Wellenius