Initial stages of reaction and barrier heights in nickel silicide interface growth

Abstract
A time-resolved study of the initial stages of the formation of Ni-silicide growth using a pulsed-light annealing technique is described. The changes at the interface were measured as a function of the number of the annealing pulses. We used Auger electron spectroscopy to measure elemental composition and shapes of Si LVV and Ni LMM lines. Electrical changes at the interface were observed by Schottky barrier-height measurements. Ni diffuses into the Si, creating an amorphous interface layer at the silicon surface. A silicide phase emerges in this region by an amorphous-to-crystalline phase transition.