Epitaxial growth of CoSi2 on hydrogen-terminated Si(001)

We demonstrate that CoSi2 grows epitaxially on H-terminated Si(001) and present the growth mechanism. It was found that direct reaction of Co with Si is suppressed on H-terminated Si below 400 degreesC. Thus, the hydrogen at the Co/Si interface hinders the formation of Co2Si and CoSi. Upon thermal desorption of hydrogen at around 400-550 degreesC, CoSi2, which is closely lattice-matched to Si(001), grows on Si(001) and thus, thin epitaxial CoSi2 films are formed on Si(001). The {111}-faceting was completely suppressed in the epitaxial CoSi2/Si(001), leading to the atomically flat interface. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.