Metal incorporation and heat-pulse measurement in amorphous-hydrogenated-silicon quantum devices

Amorphous-hydrogenated-silicon double Schottky switching diodes in which one contact is vanadium, formed to produce switching, can show discrete steps in the I-V characteristics in the ON state at resistances of h/2${\mathit{ne}}^2$ where n is an integer. We present experimental data to show that the forming temperature of the device is in excess of 1100 K, which can allow diffusion. Auger-electron-spectroscopy depth profiling shows that the top electrode penetrates significantly into the film in the formed devices, as theorized previously to explain the quantum phenomena. An elemental compositional analysis of the diffused metal region is presented. Resistance plots at various temperatures are consistent with the matrix containing vanadium particles.