Method of manufacturing a Schottky barrier semiconductor device

Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a Schottky barrier semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: forming a first electrode layer by vacuum evaporation of a metal on a main surface of a semiconductor region in an atmosphere under a relatively low pressure of less than 1×10 -6 torr, said metal being capable of producing a Schottky barrier in combination with said semiconductor region; exposing said first electrode layer to an atmosphere containing a residual gas under relatively high pressure conditions in the range of at least 1×10 -6 torr up to 1×10 torr, for a time sufficient to enable absorption of said residual gas within an upper surface of said first electrode layer so as to form a very thin absorbed layer; forming, on said first electrode layer under a relatively low pressure of less than 1×10 -6 torr, a second electrode layer of a metal capable of producing a Schottky barrier in combination with said semiconductor region so as to form a Schottky barrier based on a combination of said semiconductor region and said first and second electrode layers; and controlling the level of barrier height φB in said Schottky barrier through control of said pressure conditions of the atmosphere within the range of 1×10 -6 torr to 1×10 torr during exposure of said first electrode layer to the atmosphere at said relatively high pressure.

Claim 2

A method of manufacturing a Schottky barrier semiconductor device, comprising the steps of: forming a first electrode layer by vacuum evaporation of a metal on a main surface of a semiconductor region in an atmosphere under a relatively low pressure of less than 1×10 -6 torr, said metal being capable of producing a Schottky barrier in combination with said semiconductor region; exposing said first electrode layer to an atmosphere containing a residual gas under relatively high pressure conditions in the range of at least 1×10 -6 torr up to 1×10 torr, for a time sufficient to enable absorption of said residual gas within an upper surface of said first electrode layer so as to form a very thin absorbed layer; forming, on said first electrode layer under a relatively low pressure of less than 1×10 -6 torr, a second electrode layer of a metal capable of producing a Schottky barrier in combination with said semiconductor region so as to form a Schottky barrier based on a combination of said semiconductor region and said first and second electrode layers; and controlling the level of barrier height φB in said Schottky barrier through control of said pressure conditions of the atmosphere within the range of 1×10 -6 torr to 1×10 torr during exposure of said first electrode layer to the atmosphere at said relatively high pressure.