Autocorrelation function analysis of phase formation in the initial stage of interfacial reactions of molybdenum thin films on (111)Si

Abstract

Autocorrelation function (ACF) analysis has been applied to the high resolution transmission electron microscope images of amorphous interlayers formed in the interfacial reactions of ultrahigh vacuum deposited molybdenum thin films on (111)Si. Mo3Si was identified to be the first nucleated crystalline phase which is correlated to the stable structure of the amorphous Mo-Si alloy. Both Mo3Si and Mo5Si3 were found to form simultaneously under certain annealing conditions. The results demonstrate the usefulness of the ACF analysis of atomic images in amorphous interlayers formed in the initial stage of reactions in metal thin films on silicon.