Abstract

ABSTRACTInitial stage of growth of metastable titanium disilicide (C49-TiSi2) was investigated by annealing Ti/doped polycrystalline Si bilayers deposited on oxidized Si wafers at 530°C and at a constant heating rate of 10°C/min. Morphological evolution of the C49-TiSi2 phase was studied by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) and local chemistry was probed with a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) equipped with a nanoprobe. At the early stage, the C49-TiSi2 phase nucleates discontinuously along the amorphous silicide (a-TiSix )/crystalline Si (c-Si) interface and then exhibits simultaneous lateral growth and vertical growth. The results are interpretated using a model based upon preferential Si diffusion along interphase boundaries to the growth front.

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