Thin Solid Films, Vol.270, No.1-2, 544-548, 1995
Morphology and Stability of (Ti0.9Zr0.1)Si-2 Thin-Films on Si(111) and Si(100) Formed in UHV
This study explores the temperature stability and surface morphology of (Ti0.9Zr0.1)Si-2 films formed from reaction of TiZr alloys on Si. Titanium and zirconium alloy films (200 Angstrom) were deposited on atomically clean Si surfaces in an ultra high vacuum (UHV) electron beam deposition system, and the wafers were annealed in UHV to form the alloy silicide. In-situ Raman experiments were performed to identify the phases of the (Ti0.9Zr0.1)Si-2 films. The surface morphologies were studied using scanning electron microscopy, and the root mean square surface roughness was measured using atomic force microscopy. Sheet resistivity measurements were also performed. The results indicate that (Ti0.9Zr0.1)Si-2 films are stable in the C49 phase for temperatures up to 1000 degrees C, In addition, the surface roughness is substantially less than similarly prepared TiSi2 films at high temperatures indicating that agglomeration is reduced for the C49 alloy films. The sheet resistances of the alloy films are less than those of the TiSi2 films annealed at the same temperatures (> 800 degrees C) because of decreased agglomeration. The (Tb(0.9)Zb(0.1))Si-2 films showed little degradation of sheet resistance for annealing temperatures up to 900 degrees C.