Ohmic contacts to n-type and p-type gallium antimonide whiskers

Abstract

The ohmic contacts to the n-type conductivity gallium antimonide whiskers were created due to a current pulse shaper. It was established that I–V characteristics of GaSb whiskers at low temperatures are linear, regardless of the direction of current transmission. That allows using the investigated techniques to create electrical contacts and study their electrophysical characteristics. GaSb samples with a diameter of 12 μm and 20 μm were studied at temperatures 4.2 K and 77 K. A slide table with bath and microfurnace was made for welding ohmic contacts to GaSb whiskers. Gold microwire with a diameter of 30 μm was used as a contact material. The melting was carried out under the flux layer. It was revealed that the fusion is one of the most suitable methods for creating contacts to the whiskers grown by gas transport reactions.