Chemical effects in Schottky barrier formation

Schottky barrier heights have been measured for a range of metals on atomically clean and on etched indium phosphide surfaces. The metal work function has little influence on the contact behaviour and the 'index of behaviour' S, often used to describe metal-semiconductor contacts, is not a meaningful parameter. It is suggested that this result applies in general to interfaces between metals and compound semiconductors. Chemical effects are shown to dominate the electrical properties of the contacts.