ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates the effect of a Mo interlayer on the thermal stability of nickel silicides. Glancing angle x-ray diffraction (GXRD) results show that NiSi is transformed into NiSi2 at temperatures in excess of 700°C, at which the tetragonal MoSi2 phase is formed. The chapter argues that the use of the interlayer is effective in improving the surface morphology of the silicide films and the uniformity of the silicide/Si interface. Sheet resistances of the Ni films without and with the Mo interlayer were investigated as a function of annealing temperature. The results showed that for the samples without the interlayer, the sheet resistance changes insignificantly with increasing temperature up to 500°C, above which the resistance increases abruptly. GXRD measurements showed that for the samples without the interlayer, which were annealed at temperatures in the range of 400 - 600°C, only orthorhombic NiSi phase is present.
