Scanning tunneling microscope study of electrical transport properties of nanoscale Schottky contacts between manganese silicide nanostructures and Si(111)

摘要

The electrical transport properties of three types of manganese silicide nanocontacts, including tabular island/Si(111), nanowire/Si(111), and three-dimensional island/Si(111), are investigated by a scanning tunneling microscope with tip contacting the silicide islands. All current-voltage curves measured on the islands exhibit Schottky diode-like rectifying behaviors. Compared to the macroscopic counterparts, the nanocontacts display low Schottky barrier heights and extremely large ideality factors. The interface structure of the nanocontacts has a significant influence on the current at forward bias. This influence can be attributed to the leakage current associated with the conductive dislocations induced by the lattice mismatch between the islands and the substrate.