The processes of diffusion and silicide formation in stressed multi-layers of Mo/Si, as a result of isothermal annealing, were studied using cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques. It was found that reaction, with growth of MoSi2 of reduced density, took place at Mo-on-MoSi2 interfaces up to the formation of some 7nm-thick layers, due to annealing at 350 to 400C. The Si atoms were found to be the predominant diffusive component. As a result of Si-atom diffusion from the Si layer, sub-layers of a somewhat lower density were formed at MoSi2-on-Si interfaces. The growth of MoSi2 was accompanied by a reduction in multi-layer period. The activation energy of the diffusion process  (phase formation) made up about 2.2eV. The influence of compressive stresses in the 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