Pulsed KrF laser annealing of Mo/Si0.76Ge0.24

Abstract

Interfacial reactions of Mo/Si0.76Ge0.24 were studied by pulsed KrF laser annealing as a function of the energy density and pulse number. Vacuum annealing was also performed on some samples for comparison. For the samples annealed at a temperature of 500-700 degrees C a continuous hexagonal Mo(Si1-xGex)(2) (h-Mo(Si1-xGex)(2)) film was formed, while Ge segregation from the h-Mo(Si1-xGex)(2) film to the underlying Si0.76Ge0.24 occurred with the extent becoming more severe at higher annealing temperatures. Concurrently, amorphous structures appeared in the Si0.76Ge0.24 substrate. At 700 degrees C h-Mo(Si1-xGex)(2) transformed to tetragonal Mo(Si1-xGex)(2) (t-Mo(Si1-xGex)(2)). Multiple-pulse laser annealing could produce a continuous h-Mo(Si1-xGex)(2) film without forming amorphous structures in the Si0.76Ge0.24 substrate, however, it could not suppress Ge segregation. In the present study, no t-Mo(Si1-xGex)(2) was formed upon pulsed KrF laser annealing even at higher energy densities. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.