Ballistic electron emission microscopy of the Au-Si (100) interface

In this paper, experiments performed on Au-Si (100) junctions by Ballistic Electron Emission Microscopy (BEEM), a method for studying the metal -semiconductor interface, are presented. BEEM spectra show a characteristic threshold that yields the Schottky barrier height at the interface. The average barrier height is found to be lower than the usual values of Au-Si contacts. BEEM images result from the spatial variations of the current in the semiconductor and present unusual local contrasts. These phenomena are analysed in terms of interface quality