Microstructural observation of focused ion beam modification of Ni silicides/Si thin films

Book · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:541126

Tanaka, Miyoko; Furuya, Kazuo; Saito, Tetsuya ^[1]

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1. National Research Inst. for Metals, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan)

Focused ion beam (FIB) irradiation of a thin Ni{sub 2}Si layer deposited on a Si substrate was carried out and studied using an in-situ transmission electron microscope (in-situ TEM). Square areas on sides of 4 by 4 and 9 by 9 {micro}m were patterned at room temperature with a 25 keV Ga{sup +}-FIB attached to the TEM. The structural changes of the films indicate a uniform milling, sputtering of the Ni{sub 2}Si layer and the damage introducing to the Si substrate. Annealing at 673 K results in the change of the Ni{sub 2}Si layer into an epitaxial NiSi{sub 2} layer outside the FIB irradiated area, but several precipitates appear around the treated area. Precipitates was analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Larger amount of Ni than the surrounding matrix was found in precipitates. Selected area diffraction (SAD) patterns of the precipitates and the corresponding dark field images imply the formation of a Ni rich silicide. The relation between the FIB tail and the precipitation is indicated.

• OSTI ID: 541126
• Report Number(s): CONF-961202--; ISBN 1-55899-343-6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CRYSTAL-PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
LAYERS
NICKEL SILICIDES
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PRECIPITATION
SILICON
SUBSTRATES