MODIFIED GROWTH-KINETICS OF ION INDUCED YTTRIUM-SILICIDE LAYERS DURING SUBSEQUENT THERMAL ANNEALING

Yttrium and amorphous silicon bilayers were irradiated with 600-keV inert ions between -190 and 265-degrees-C. Ion-induced YSi1.7 layers occurred in those samples irradiated above greater-than-or-equal-to 205-degrees-C. These ion-mixed samples were thermally annealed at temperatures between 325 and 380-degrees-C. The diffusion-limited growth was observed only in those samples which had an ion-induced YSi1.7 layer present prior to thermal annealing. This type of growth is distinctly different from the interface limited, nonuniform, and irreproducible growth seen during typical thermal annealing of yttrium and silicon bilayers. This type of growth still occurred in those samples annealed after ion irradiations at less-than-or-equal-to 190-degrees-C.