Processes of diffusion and silicide formation in stressed multilayers of Mo/Si, as a result of their isothermal annealing, were studied using cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques. It was found that reaction with growth of molybdenum disilicide of reduced density takes place at Mo-on-MoSi2 interfaces up to formation of approximately 7nm-thick layers, due to annealing at 350 to 400C. Silicon atoms were found to be the predominant diffusive components. As a result of Si atoms' diffusion from Si layer, sub-layers of a somewhat lower density were being formed at MoSi2-on-Si interfaces. Growth of molybdenum disilicide was accompanied by reduction of multilayer period. Activation energy of diffusion process (phase formation) made up about 2.2eV. The influence of compressive stresses (that existed in Mo layers) upon the process of phase formation, in both as-deposited and annealed samples, was considered.

The Structure, Diffusion and Phase Formation in Mo/Si Multilayers with Stressed Mo Layers. E.N.Zubarev, A.V.Zhurba, V.V.Kondratenko, V.I.Pinegyn, V.A.Sevryukova, S.A.Yulin, T.Feigl, N.Kaiser: Thin Solid Films, 2007, 515[17], 7011-9