Exploitation of a Self-limiting Process for Reproducible Formation of Ultrathin Ni(1-x)Pt(x) Silicide Films

Journal Article · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 2011 · Applied Physics Letters

OSTI ID:1041789

Zhang, Z; Yang, B; Zhu, Y; Gaudet, S; Rossnagel, S; Kellock, A; Ozcan, A; Murray, C; Desjardins, P

This letter reports on a process scheme to obtain highly reproducible Ni{sub 1-x}Pt{sub x} silicide films of 3-6 nm thickness formed on a Si(100) substrate. Such ultrathin silicide films are readily attained by sputter deposition of metal films, metal stripping in wet chemicals, and final silicidation by rapid thermal processing. This process sequence warrants an invariant amount of metal intermixed with Si in the substrate surface region independent of the initial metal thickness, thereby leading to a self-limiting formation of ultrathin silicide films. The crystallographic structure, thickness, uniformity, and morphological stability of the final silicide films depend sensitively on the initial Pt fraction.

• Research Organization: BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY (BNL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE SC OFFICE OF SCIENCE (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-98CH10886
• OSTI ID: 1041789
• Report Number(s): BNL--97467-2012-JA
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 25 Vol. 97; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
DEPOSITION
ETCHING
METALS
NICKEL ALLOYS
PLATINUM ALLOYS
PROCESSING
SILICIDES
SILICON ALLOYS
SPUTTERING
STABILITY
STRIPPING
SUBSTRATES
SURFACES
THICKNESS
THIN FILMS