Making Schottky barrier devices

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a Schottky barrier of desired barrier height between a metal and a semiconductor body portion but without significant degrading of its reverse characteristics, comprising providing a semiconductor body portion of given doping level which if directly contacted with a metal capable of forming therewith a Schottky barrier would result in a barrier of given height different from the desired barrier height, subjecting the said body portion to dopant ion bombardment to implant dopant therein to form a shallow surface layer having a higher doping level than said given doping level, the implanted ion dose being such as to change the given barrier height to that desired when contacted by said metal, the bombarding ion energy being such as to restrict the depth of the implanted layer from the surface to such a small value that it remains below the thickness of the depletion layer extending from the Schottky barrier in the zero bias condition of the barrier, whereby the implanted layer remains substantially depleted of charge carriers and the reverse characteristics of the barrier will not be significantly degraded, applying said metal as a contact to said body portion such that the barrier is formed between said metal and said shallow surface layer, and making an electrical connection to the body portion.