The influence of Pt redistribution on Ni{sub 1-x}Pt{sub x}Si growth properties

Journal Article · Sun Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3455873· OSTI ID:21476423

Demeulemeester, J; Smeets, D; Temst, K; Vantomme, A ^[1]; Comrie, C M ^[2]; Van Bockstael, C; Knaepen, W; Detavernier, C ^[3]

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1. Instituut voor Kern-en Stralingsfysica and INPAC, K.U.Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium)
2. Department of Physics, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7700 (South Africa)
3. Department of Solid State Sciences, Ghent University, B-9000 Gent (Belgium)

We have studied the influence of Pt on the growth of Ni silicide thin films by examining the Pt redistribution during silicide growth. Three different initial Pt configurations were investigated, i.e., a Pt alloy (Ni+Pt/<Si>), a Pt capping layer (Pt/Ni/<Si>) and a Pt interlayer (Ni/Pt/<Si>), all containing 7 at. % Pt relative to the Ni content. The Pt redistribution was probed using in situ real-time Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) whereas the phase sequence was monitored during the solid phase reaction (SPR) using in situ real-time x-ray diffraction. We found that the capping layer and alloy exhibit a SPR comparable to the pure Ni/<Si> system, whereas Pt added as an interlayer has a much more drastic influence on the Ni silicide phase sequence. Nevertheless, for all initial sample configurations, Pt redistributes in an erratic way. This phenomenon can be assigned to the low solubility of Pt in Ni{sub 2}Si compared to NiSi and the high mobility of Pt in Ni{sub 2}Si compared to pure Ni. Real-time RBS further revealed that the crucial issue determining the growth properties of each silicide phase is the Pt concentration at the Si interface during the initial stages of phase formation. The formation of areas rich in Pt reduce the Ni silicide growth kinetics which influences the phase sequence and properties of the silicides.

• OSTI ID: 21476423
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 108; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ALLOYS
CARRIER MOBILITY
COHERENT SCATTERING
CRYSTAL GROWTH
DIFFRACTION
ELEMENTS
FILMS
INTERFACES
LAYERS
METALS
MOBILITY
NICKEL ALLOYS
NICKEL COMPOUNDS
NICKEL SILICIDES
PHASE STABILITY
PHASE STUDIES
PLATINUM
PLATINUM ALLOYS
PLATINUM METAL ALLOYS
PLATINUM METALS
RUTHERFORD BACKSCATTERING SPECTROSCOPY
SCATTERING
SEMIMETALS
SILICIDES
SILICON
SILICON ALLOYS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SOLIDS
SOLUBILITY
SPECTROSCOPY
STABILITY
THIN FILMS
TRANSITION ELEMENT ALLOYS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION