Titanium silicide contacts on semiconducting diamond substrates

Titanium silicide contacts have been deposited on semiconducting (p-type) natural diamond substrates by the codeposition of silicon and titanium by electron-beam evaporation. Current-voltage (I-V) measurements conducted at room temperature have demonstrated rectifying characteristics. Consistent with the observed small turn-on voltage, the corresponding I-V measurements recorded at 400 degrees C exhibit ohmic-like behaviour. However, on subsequent annealing of the titanium silicide contacts at 1100 degrees C in a vacuum of approximately 10^-6 Torr for 30 min, stable rectifying I-V characteristics were observed in the 25-400 degrees C temperature range.