Nucleation and ordering of MoSi 2 on Si(100)

Abstract

Molybdenum deposition on clean Si( 100) with a fluence as low as 1–4 monolayers suffices to nucleate molybdenum disilicide. At 640°C, disilicide growth is initiated by the formation of small crystallites of hexagonal MoSi 2, separated by clean, but roughened, Si(100)−2 × 1, as revealed by scanning tunneling microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and glancing angle X-ray diffraction. At 770°C, molybdenum deposition leads to tetragonal MoSi 2 preferentially oriented with respect to the silicon substrate.