Abstract
Epitaxial growth and thermal stability of Pd2Si on (001), (011), and (111)Si substrates have been investigated by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and sheet resistance measurements.Pd2Si was found to be most stable in (111) samples. Full surface coverage was observed in samples annealed at 800 °C for 1 h. The general trends of the thermal stability of Pd2Si are similar in (001) and (011) samples. Agglomeration of Pd2Si was found to start in samples annealed at a temperature as low as 600 °C. The growth of laterally uniform Pd2Si and resistance to island formation at high temperatures in (111) samples are attributed to the extensive growth of the epitaxial Pd2Si regions.The growth of four different modes of Pd2Si epitaxy on silicon was observed and analyzed. The prominence of a certain mode of Pd2Si epitaxy was found to correspond to a good lattice match with the silicon substrate. Sheet resistance data were found to correlate well with the morphological and microstructural observations.
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