Towards Spintronics: Measurement of Schottky barriers of iron on silicon films

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Towards Spintronics Measurement of Schottky
barriers of iron on silicon films

• Spin-biasing electrons in silicon
• Proposed method placing a magnetically-biased
  ferromagnetic film on top of silicon, and feed
  electrons through film on their way into silicon
• Crystaline (111) or (100) Iron silicide (Fe3Si),
  or Iron are ferromagnetic compounds that are
  candidates
• Many metal-semiconductor interfaces have an
  energy barrier called the Schottky Barrier
• Could be exploited in spin-biasing electrons
• Needs to be measured
• Results
• Gold on silicon films (n-type, 250 Ohm-cm, (100)
  orientation)
• Used as a calibration to determine veracity of
  measurement technique
• Obtained value of .75 eV and associated graphs
  match literature
• Iron on silicon films (n-type, 250 and .01
  Ohm-cm, (100) orientation)
• High resistivity showed frequency dependence
  behavior real barrier unknown
• Low resistivity was completely resistive,
  impossible to measure