LASER PROCESSING OF TISI2 AND COSI2 THIN-FILMS ON SILICON (100) SUBSTRATES

We have investigated the formation of TiSi2 and CoSi2 thin films on Si(100) substrates using laser (wave length 248 nm, pulse duration 40 ns and repetition rate 5 Hz) physical vapor deposition (LPVD). The films were deposited from solid targets of TiSi2 and CoSi2 in vacuum with the substrate temperature optimized at 600-degrees-C. The films were characterized using x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and four point probe ac resistivity. The films were found to be polycrystalline with a texture. The room temperature resistivity was found to be 16 mu-OEMGA-cm and 23-mu-OMEGA-cm for TiSi2 and CoSi2 films, respectively. We optimized the processing parameters so as to get particulate free surface. TEM results show that the silicide/silicon interface is quite smooth and there is no perceptible interdiffusion across the interface.