Native point defect concentrations were determined in samples, with single or polycrystalline CoSi2 films, by annealing (850C, 1h) Sb and B doping superlattices in N2. Use of a polycrystalline film resulted in enhanced Sb diffusion; thus indicating a vacancy supersaturation of about 2.4. Monocrystalline films maintained a vacancy concentration which was near to equilibrium. The diffusion of B was retarded, by the same amount, using either film; thus indicating an interstitial undersaturation of about 0.3. This implied that CoSi2 grain boundaries were the cause of the higher vacancy supersaturation; which was well known to occur during routine Co silicidation.

S.B.Herner, H.J.Gossmann, R.T.Tung: Applied Physics Letters, 1998, 72[18], 2289-91