Investigation on the different barrier effect of Ni and Pt in the Ti/Al/Pt/Au and Ti/Al/Ni/Au contacts to n-type GaN

The barrier effect of Pt and Ni has been investigated in the Ti/Al/Pt/Au and Ti/Al/Ni/Au Ohmic contacts to n-GaN, respectively. Severe indiffusion of Pt and Au has been found in the 800 °C annealed Au/Pt/Al/Ti/n-GaN samples. However, Ni does not penetrate into the n-GaN and shows better barrier effect for preventing Au penetration into Au/Ni/Al/Ti/n-GaN samples. The reaction between Ga and Pt has also been identified in the samples annealed at 600 °C. At the same time, the electrical degradation was found for the Ti/Al/Pt/Au samples aged at 600 °C. However, no obvious degradation was found for the aged Ti/Al/Ni/Au samples. It is suggested that the reaction between Ga and Pt may cause the electrical degradation of the Ti/Al/Pt/Au metallization system.