Improved Tunneling Property of p+Si Nanomembrane/n+GaAs Heterostructures through Ultraviolet/Ozone Interface Treatment

Here, heterostructures composed of p+Si nanomembranes (NM)/n+GaAs were fabricated by ultraviolet/ozone (UV/O₃, UVO) treatment, and their tunneling properties were investigated. The hydrogen (H)-terminated Si NM was bonded to the oxygen (O)-terminated GaAs substrate, leading to Si/GaAs tunnel junctions (TJs). The atomic-scale features of the H-O-terminated Si/GaAs TJ were analyzed and compared to those of Si/GaAs heterojunctions with no UVO treatment. The electrical characteristics demonstrated the emergence of negative differential resistance, with an average peak-to-valley current ratio of 3.49, which was examined based on the band-to-band tunneling and thermionic emission theories.