Spreading Resistance Measurements on N‐Type Silicon Using Mercury Probes

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Abstract
With an instrument consisting of four mercury probes spreading resistance has been measured on n‐type silicon bulk samples and thin layers without leaving any damage. With bulk samples the spreading resistance measured in a three‐probe arrangement is found to be proportional to the resistivity without any indication of resistivity dependence of the proportionality constant between 10−3 and 10 ohm‐cm. From repeated measurements it is concluded that the precision depends on the mechanical finish of the contact edge and can be as good as 3%. Upon comparison with the resistivity as measured with a conventional four‐point probe, the mercury probe spreading resistance is found to be accurate within that error. The resistivity measured represents the average over about 1 mm3, so that the resolving power of this instrument is intermediate between the resolving powers of conventional four‐point and spreading resistance probes.

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