Thin films of Cu were deposited onto p-type Si(100) substrates by magnetron sputtering at room temperature. The interface reaction and atomic diffusion of Cu/SiO2/Si(100) systems were studied using X-ray diffraction and Rutherford back-scattering spectrometry. The onset temperature of interdiffusion for Cu/SiO2/Si(100) was found to be 350C. With increasing annealing temperature, the interdiffusion became more apparent. The calculated diffusion activation energy was about 0.91eV. Copper silicides were not formed below an annealing temperature of 350C. Formation of copper silicides was first observed when the annealing temperature was 450C.

Atomic Diffusion in Annealed Cu/SiO2/Si(100) System Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering. B.Cao, Y.H.Jia, G.P.Li, X.M.Chen: Chinese Physics B, 2010, 19[2], 026601