The diffusion of a Cr bottom-contact through 10nm-thick amorphous Si film was studied. The concentration of the diffused impurity was analyzed by using an X-ray photon spectroscopy technique, and the diffusion coefficient was estimated. Diffusion annealing was carried out in vacuum (10–6mTorr) at 400C, and the annealing time was varied from 0 to 5h. It was proposed that the Cr diffusion in thin hydrogenated amorphous films was limited by silicide formation at the metal/Si interface.

Diffusion of Chromium in Thin Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Films. S.K.Persheyev, P.R.Drapacz, M.J.Rose, A.G.Fitzgerald: Semiconductors, 2004, 38[3], 344-6