Citation

Terrasi A, Ravesi S, Grimaldi MG. Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces and Films 1994; 12(2): 289-294.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994)

DOI

10.1116/1.578870

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article reports the structural and morphological characterization of/3-FeSi2 films, about 120 rim thick, grown by ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD). The silieide layers were obtained by Fe evaporations onto (001) Si substrates maintained at T=600 °C, while an Arf beam bombarded the sample surface at an energy ranging between 100 and 650 eV. Beta-FeSi2 films were even grown at several ion current densities and, in one case, the beam bombardment was limited to the early stage of the silieide formation. We have found that IBAD process reduces the crystalline grain size and improves the film morphology. Moreover, the relationship between ion beam process and grain nucleation at the suicide/silicon interface shows that when the number of Ar reaching the silieide/Si interface is about 1/3 of the Si substrate surface atomic density, the nucleation mechanism tends to saturate. © 1994, American Vacuum Society. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Silicon; Interfaces (materials); Ion beams; Silicides; Silicide formation; Beam-assisted growth; Crystalline grain size; Grain nucleation; Ion beam process; Ion current density; Morphological characterization; Nucleation; Nucleation mechanism