Photoelectron Spectroscopic Insights Into Interfacial Silicide Formation and Electronic Coupling Governing Contact Resistance Reduction at Mo/SiC Interfaces

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a leading candidate for next‐generation power electronics. However, achieving reliable and low‐resistance metal/SiC contacts remains a challenge due to incomplete mechanistic understanding of the interplay between interfacial chemistry, electronic structure, and contact resistance. Here, we combine laboratory‐based and synchrotron‐based photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) to elucidate the evolution of the molybdenum (Mo)/4H‐SiC(0001) interface under different fabrication pathways. Distinct spectral features reveal Mo silicide (MoSi x ) formation after annealing and demonstrate that direct Mo deposition on heated 4H‐SiC(0001) substrates enhances MoSi x formation and yields a cleaner, more homogeneous interface, owing to altered Mo growth dynamics at elevated substrate temperatures. This interfacial MoSi x layer strengthens electronic coupling and optimizes band alignment across the Mo/SiC junction, achieving authentic Ohmic contact with a tenfold reduction in contact resistance. These findings elucidate the electronic and chemical origins of low‐barrier Mo/SiC contacts, offering a practical, energy‐efficient route towards low‐resistance SiC‐based devices.