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Title: In situ Study of the Formation of Silicide Phases in Amorphous Ni-Si Mixed Layers

Abstract

In this paper, we investigated Ni silicide phase formation when Si is added within an as deposited 50 nm Ni film. A series of 22 samples with a Si content varying from 0 to 50 at.% was prepared and systematically investigated with in situ x-ray diffraction. The inert oxide substrate was used to identify the phases which first crystallize in an amorphous Ni-Si mixture of a given concentration. The noncongruent silicides Ni{sub 3}Si and Ni{sub 3}Si{sub 2} are never observed to crystallize readily out of the mixture. A remarkable observation is the initial crystallization at low temperature of a hexagonal Ni-silicide, observed over a broad mixed layer composition [35-49%Si]; this hexagonal phase nucleates readily as a single phase [39-47%Si] or together with Ni{sub 2}Si [35-38%Si] or NiSi [49%Si]. This low-temperature phase is related to the high temperature {theta}-phase, but covers a wide composition range up to 47%Si. For the same Ni-Si films deposited on Si(100), the initial nucleation of the Ni(Si) mixture is similar as for the samples deposited on SiO{sub 2}, such that the complex sequence of metal-rich Ni-silicide phases typically observed during Ni/Si reactions is modified. For samples containing more than 21%Si, a simpler sequential phase formation wasmore » observed upon annealing. From pole figures, the phase formation sequence was observed to have a significant influence on the texture of the technologically relevant NiSi phase. For mixture composition ranging from 38% to 43%Si, the initial transient {theta}-phase appears extremely textured on Si(100). The observed transient appearance of a hexagonal phase is of importance in understanding the phase formation mechanisms in the Ni-Si system.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). National Synchrotron Light Source
Sponsoring Org.:
DOE - OFFICE OF SCIENCE
OSTI Identifier:
1019773
Report Number(s):
BNL-95619-2011-JA
Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979; JAPIAU; TRN: US201115%%412
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC02-98CH10886
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Applied Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 106; Journal Issue: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; ANNEALING; CRYSTALLIZATION; MIXTURES; NUCLEATION; OXIDES; SILICIDES; SUBSTRATES; TEXTURE; TRANSIENTS; X-RAY DIFFRACTION; national synchrotron light source

Citation Formats

Van Bockstael, C, Detavernier, C, Van Meirhaeghe, R, Jordan-Sweet, J, and Lavoie, C. In situ Study of the Formation of Silicide Phases in Amorphous Ni-Si Mixed Layers. United States: N. p., 2009. Web. doi:10.1063/1.3194318.
Van Bockstael, C, Detavernier, C, Van Meirhaeghe, R, Jordan-Sweet, J, & Lavoie, C. In situ Study of the Formation of Silicide Phases in Amorphous Ni-Si Mixed Layers. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3194318
Van Bockstael, C, Detavernier, C, Van Meirhaeghe, R, Jordan-Sweet, J, and Lavoie, C. 2009. "In situ Study of the Formation of Silicide Phases in Amorphous Ni-Si Mixed Layers". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3194318.
@article{osti_1019773,
title = {In situ Study of the Formation of Silicide Phases in Amorphous Ni-Si Mixed Layers},
author = {Van Bockstael, C and Detavernier, C and Van Meirhaeghe, R and Jordan-Sweet, J and Lavoie, C},
abstractNote = {In this paper, we investigated Ni silicide phase formation when Si is added within an as deposited 50 nm Ni film. A series of 22 samples with a Si content varying from 0 to 50 at.% was prepared and systematically investigated with in situ x-ray diffraction. The inert oxide substrate was used to identify the phases which first crystallize in an amorphous Ni-Si mixture of a given concentration. The noncongruent silicides Ni{sub 3}Si and Ni{sub 3}Si{sub 2} are never observed to crystallize readily out of the mixture. A remarkable observation is the initial crystallization at low temperature of a hexagonal Ni-silicide, observed over a broad mixed layer composition [35-49%Si]; this hexagonal phase nucleates readily as a single phase [39-47%Si] or together with Ni{sub 2}Si [35-38%Si] or NiSi [49%Si]. This low-temperature phase is related to the high temperature {theta}-phase, but covers a wide composition range up to 47%Si. For the same Ni-Si films deposited on Si(100), the initial nucleation of the Ni(Si) mixture is similar as for the samples deposited on SiO{sub 2}, such that the complex sequence of metal-rich Ni-silicide phases typically observed during Ni/Si reactions is modified. For samples containing more than 21%Si, a simpler sequential phase formation was observed upon annealing. From pole figures, the phase formation sequence was observed to have a significant influence on the texture of the technologically relevant NiSi phase. For mixture composition ranging from 38% to 43%Si, the initial transient {theta}-phase appears extremely textured on Si(100). The observed transient appearance of a hexagonal phase is of importance in understanding the phase formation mechanisms in the Ni-Si system.},
doi = {10.1063/1.3194318},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1019773}, journal = {Journal of Applied Physics},
issn = {0021-8979},
number = 6,
volume = 106,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2009},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2009}
}