AMBIENT GAS EFFECTS ON THE REACTION OF TITANIUM WITH SILICON

Because of its low resistivity and excellent thermal stability, TiSi//2 is finding widespread application as an interconnect material in novel schemes such as the salicide structure. The Ti-Si reaction is complex and has been studied previously in certain regimes. The authors show that after the commencement of the interfacial reaction, i. e. , after reduction of interfacial oxides, the initial stage of the reaction proceeds rapidly. The extent to which it proceeds depends on the nature of the Ti ambient gas interaction. A final stage of the reaction begins when the silicide phase and the ambient species phase interfere; the reaction then proceeds relatively slowly at a rate depending on the nature of the ambient species.