Silicide formation from ternary metal-metal-silicon systems

Abstract

Thin film interactions for ternary systems are presented and compared with those for bulk samples. The various outcomes of the reaction such as solid solution, phase separation or ternary compound formation are analyzed using specific examples in each case. As a possible first step of the reaction, the alloying behavior of the metals is described using Miedema's model. Ternary phases reported in bulk studies are rarely observed for thin film samples possibly because of unlimited supply of silicon, interfacial contamination or stress, and different kinetics or formation temperatures. The use of high temperature equilibrium phase diagrams is therefore limited in explaining the behavior of the system. However, for systems evolving towards a pseudobinary solid solution or complete solid solubility of the silicides, bulk data are valuable guides to predict or analyze the evolution of the structure submitted to thermal processing.