RETRACTED ARTICLE: Features of contact melting of semiconductors and their microstructures under thermal shock conditions

This paper studies the processes of contact melting of metal–semiconductor microstructures. The contact interaction was considered under thermal shock conditions formed by single current pulses (the current density of j = 2…8 × 1010 A/m2 and a duration of τ = 50 µs…3 ms). The diffusion mechanism of contact melting was confirmed. From the analysis of the melting nature of aluminium metallisation tracks (up to 7 µm thick), the optimal modes of contact melting were revealed in the Al–Si system. Such modes existed with current pulses up to 6.5 × 1010 A/m2. In the case of an increase in the amplitude of the current pulses, the contact melting rate increases, but at the same time, there is a significant heterogeneity in the thickness of the metal film along the length of the metallisation track. In addition, when implementing such modes, the origin and development of microcracks were detected during the crystallisation of the material after switching off the pulse.