Co silicide formation on epitaxial Si_1-yC_y/Si (001) layers

authored by

Y. Roichman, A. Berner, R. Brener, C. Cytermann, D. Shilo, E. Zolotoyabko, M. Eizenberg, H. J. Osten

Abstract

We investigated the formation and structure of cobalt suicide (CoSi₂) on Si_1-yC_y. (0≤y ≤0.81%) layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy on Si (001). The incorporation of C in the Si lattice causes the following phenomena during silicidation: (i) the formation of CoSi₂ is delayed in temperature scale, as compared to pure Si; (ii) epitaxial CoSi₂ grains are formed at T≥600 °C; (iii) a two sublayer structure of CoSi₂ is observed, where the upper sublayer contains a very small amount of C and has a homogeneous microstructure, while the lower sublayer, which has a higher C concentration, contains randomly oriented CoSi₂ nanocrystallites; (iv) spatial inhomogeneity results in significant variation (within ±40%) in the CoSi₂ layer thickness; (v) no strain relaxation in the Si_1-yC_y layer during silicidation is detected up to 700 °C; and (vi) the distribution of carbon and boron in the semiconductor during silicidation is not changed significantly. The two latter findings show the potential of CoSi₂ on Si_1-yC_y for device application despite the mentioned inhomogeneity in CoSi₂ microstructure.

External Organisation(s)

Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
Leibniz Institute for High Performance Microelectronics (IHP)

Type

Article

Journal

Journal of applied physics

Volume

87

Pages

3306-3312

No. of pages

7

ISSN

0021-8979

Publication date

01.04.2000

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Physics and Astronomy(all)

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.372341 (Access: Closed)