Pulsed KrF laser annealing of Ni/Si0.76Ge0.24 films

Abstract

Pulsed KrF laser annealing can suppress the island structure formation and Ge segregation associated with the interfacial reactions of Ni/Si0.76Ge0.24 For the Ni/Si0.76Ge0.24 films annealed at an energy density of 0.1-0.3 J/cm(2) nickel germanosilicide associated with the amorphous overlayer was formed, while at energy densities above 0.4 J/cm(2) cellular structures of Ge-deficient S1-xGex islands surrounded by Ni(Si1-xGex)(2) due to the constitutional supercooling occurred. For the continuous Ni(Si1-xGex) films grown at 200 degrees C, subsequent laser annealing at a higher energy density of 0.6-1.0 J/cm(2) caused transformation into homogeneous Ni(Si0.76Ge0.24)(2) films without island structure and Ge deficiency which readily appeared on furnace annealing at temperatures above 400 degrees C. At energy densities above 1.6 J/cm(2) the same cellular structures as described above were also noted. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.