The diffusion of Ni into Si, and into a transition layer between these elements in a diffusion couple, was studied between 470 and 1070K. The samples used were plates oriented in the (111) plane and had dislocation densities of the order of 103/cm2. Layers (0.0003mm) of Ni containing 63Ni were then deposited on the Si. The distribution of Ni in the single crystals and in the transition layer was determined by autoradiography of oblique sections. It was found that the results above 870K could be described by:

D1*(cm2/s) = 2.3 x 103exp[-3.25(eV)/kT]

D12(cm2/s) = 2.3 x 10-3exp[-1.7(eV)/kT]

Below 870K, the relationships were:

D1*(cm2/s) = 9.1 x 10-12exp[-0.36(eV)/kT]

D12(cm2/s) = 3.4 x 10-12exp[-0.13(eV)/kT]

Where D1* and D12 were the diffusivities of Ni in the transition layer and in Si, respectively. It was concluded that a principal feature of interdiffusion in the Si-Ni system was the presence of an amorphous Si layer.

V.A.Uskov, A.B.Fedotov, A.I.Rodionov, N.S.Dumarevskaya: Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR - Neorganicheskie Materialy, 1984, 20[7], 1148-51