Dependence of thermal stability of the titanium silicide/silicon structure on impurities

Abstract

The effect of impurity on the thermal stability of titanium silicide (TiSi2)/single-crystal silicon (Si) structures has been studied. It is found that nitrogen and oxygen in the TiSi2 film significantly influence the morphological changes of a TiSi2/Si structure during high-temperature annealing at 1100 °C for 2–20 s. Nitrogen impurity improves the thermal stability of the TiSi2/Si structure, whereas oxygen degrades it.