| Autor: |
Seger, J., Jarmar, T., Z.-B. Zhang, Radamson, H. H., Ericson, F., Smith, U., Zhang, S.-L. |
| Předmět: |
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| Zdroj: |
Journal of Applied Physics; 8/15/2004, Vol. 96 Issue 4, p1919-1928, 10p, 2 Black and White Photographs, 1 Diagram, 5 Charts, 7 Graphs |
| Abstrakt: |
The morphological stability of NiSi1-uGeu ternary alloy films formed by reacting Ni with single-crystal (sc) and polycrystalline (poly) Si1-xGeu is studied (u can be different from x). The agglomeration of NiSi1-uGeu films on Si0.7Ge0.3 occurs at 550°C after rapid thermal processing for 30 s, independently of the crystallinity of the Si1-xGeu. This behavior distinctly different from NiSi: NiSi films on poly-Si display a poorer morphological stability and degrade at lower temperatures than NiSi on sc-Si. On strained Si1-xGex, the presence of Ge simultaneously gives rise to two effects of different origin: mechanical and thermodynamic. The main driving forces behind the agglomeration of NiSi1-uGeu on sc-Si1-xGex are found to be the stored strain energy in the Si1-xGex and the larger (absolute) free energy of formation of NiSi compared to NiGe. The latter constitutes the principal driving force behind the agglomeration of NiSi1-uGeu on poly-Si1-xGex and is not affected by the degree of crystallinity of Si1-xGex. The total free-energy change also includes terms corresponding to the entropy of mixing of Si and Ge in both Si1-xGex and NiSi1-uGeu. Calculations show that the strain energy and the total free-energy change can be 5–7 times (with 30 at.% Ge) the surface/interface and grain-boundary energies in a NiSi film or the grain-boundary energy in an underlying poly-Si. These latter energies are responsible for the agglomeration of NiSi on sc- and poly-Si. The agglomeration takes place primarily via the interdiffusion of Si and Ge between Si1-xGex and NiSi1-uGeu. A structure likely to improve the stability of NiSi1-uGeu/Si1-xGex is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Databáze: |
Complementary Index |
| Externí odkaz: |
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