Investigation of metal contacts on ScN

Metal contacts deposited on ScN films grown by plasma assisted physical vapor deposition (PAPVD) and rf-sputtering were examined. The metal contacts Ti, Ni, Pd were dc-sputtered while Al and Cu were evaporated. For PAPVD ScN it was found that the best ohmic contact was formed by depositing Pd, with specific contact resistance in the range of 9.0E+01 W cm2. In the case of rf-sputtered ScN films deposited at 300 K, all metals tried to form ohmic contacts with specific contact resistance of the order of 106 W cm2. For the films sputtered at 1000 K, it was found that Pd made the best ohmic contact with a value for the contact resistance similar to PAPVD samples, while for the Ti and Ni contacts, values of the order of 106 W cm2 were calculated. For all samples where Al and Cu metals form contacts, these were ohmic with very high contact resistance. Trends in the ohmic contact formation and properties are believed to be related to the crystalline structure of the ScN.