7 Di\~i-ion of .&ppE& physics, E_hetRs!d Ha!!am l Jfi b;ersi p;, E_heffie!d s! !\n!a, IJK Abstract. S b layers on chemically etched n-CdTe provide noise-free electrical contacts suitable for various electronic devices. These interfaces produce Schottky barriers of -0.94 eV with excellent rectification properties. In this work we have studied the stability of these contacts in detail under normal laboratory conditions. The results reveal that a gradual reduction of their rectification property is due to an increase in series resistance ana a iarge contribution irom recombination and generation current. We have also carried out Auger depth profiling through these interfaces to study their compositional structure after aging. In-diffusion of Sb and out-diffusion of both Cd and Te is observed for these interfaces. We consider t h e implications of these microscopic interactions on the macroscopic electrical properties of the Sb/n-CdTe interfaces.

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