The growth kinetics of ternary Co1−xNixSi2 thin films were studied in real time. By

simultaneously determining sheet resistance, X-ray diffraction and laser-light

scattering data and combining resistance measurements and Rutherford backscattering

spectrometry on the other hand, it was possible to distinguish the initial,

nucleation-controlled thin-film growth, and the subsequent diffusion controlled

growth. The apparent activation energy for the initial growth decreased with

increasing Ni concentration as a result of a lower nucleation barrier for the ternary

disilicide. The markedly different microstructures of ternary Co1−xNixSi2 films,

with respect to pure CoSi2 layers, were at the origin of a lower activation energy

for the diffusion-controlled growth of the ternary films. Despite the low activation

energy, these films grew at a much lower rate than did CoSi2 films; due to the large

grain size and consequently lower density of grain-boundary diffusion paths. These

results explained the unexpectedly high thermal budget required for the formation

of low-resistivity Co1−xNixSi2 thin films.

Nucleation and Diffusion During Growth of Ternary Co1−xNixSi2 Thin Films

Studied by Complementary Techniques in Real Time. D.Smeets, J.Demeulemeester,

K.De Keyser, D.Deduytsche, C.Detavernier, C.M.Comrie, C.C.Theron, C.Lavoie,

A.Vantomme: Journal of Applied Physics, 2008, 104[9], 093533