Interfacial reactions of Ni/Si0.76Ge0.24 and Ni/Si1-x-yGexCy by vacuum annealing and pulsed KrF laser annealing

Abstract

Interfacial reactions of Ni on Si0.76Ge0.24 and Si1-x-yGexCy. films by vacuum annealing and pulsed KrF laser annealing were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in conjunction with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). For the Ni/Si0.76Ge0.24 and Ni/Si1-x-yGexCy films annealed at a temperature of 200-600 degrees C Ge segregation and agglomeration occurred at an extent becoming more severe at higher temperatures. Upon pulsed KrF laser annealing the agglomeration structure was improved. The retardation of phase transformation in the Ni/Si1-x-yGexCy system was observed upon either vacuum annealing or pulsed laser annealing. Multiple-pulse annealing is an effective method to fabricate smooth Ni(Si0.76Ge0.24)(2) and Ni(Si1-x-yGexCy)(2) films without inducing Ge segregation to the remaining substrates and strain relaxation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.