CONTACTS FOR DIAMOND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES THAT PROVIDE RELIABLE HIGH POWER OR OPERATE AT EXTREMELY HIGH FREQUENCY IN HARSH ENVIRONMENTS SUCH AS SUSTAINED HIGH RADIATION LEVELS ARE REQUIRED FOR ASAT APPLICATIONS. THIS NEED FOR DEVICES THAT CAN OPERATE AT INCREASED TEMPERATURES OR WITH MINIMUM RADIATIVE COOLING HAS BEEN SPAWNED BY THE SIGNIFICANT ENGINEERING PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COOLING REQUIREMENTS OF ELECTRONICS IN SUPERSONIC AIRCRAFT AND SPACE BASED VEHICLES. BECAUSE OF ITS HIGH INTRINSIC RESISTIVITY, LARGE CARRIER MOBILITIES, HIGH SATURATED CARRIER DRIFT VELOCITY, AND RADIATION AND CHEMICAL CORROSION RESISTANCE, DIAMOND IS AN IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR EXTREMELY FAST, HIGH TEMPERATURE SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES. ATM HAS RECENTLY SHOWN THAT DIAMOND FILMS WITH EXTREMELY HIGH RESISTIVITY AND NO SUB BAND-GAP CONDUCTIVITY CAN BE GROWN. HOWEVER, THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF DIAMOND DEVICES ARE STABLE AND LOW RESISTANCE CONTACTS. IN PHASE I THE FEASIBILITY OF A NOVEL CONTACT PROCESS TO BOTH N-TYPE AND P-TYPE DIAMONDS WILL BE EXAMINED. IN PHASE II, AN OPTIMAL CONTACTING PROCESS WILL BE DEVELOPED AND OPERATING PROTOTYPE DEVICES TARGETED AT ASAT APPLICATIONS WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE STRATEGIC DEFENSE COMMAND.