• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.179-185
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• 2009

We fabricated thermally evaporated 30 nm-Ni/(20 nm or 60 nm)a-Si:H/Si films to investigate the energy-saving property of silicides formed by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at temperatures of $350^{\circ}C$, $450^{\circ}C$, $550^{\circ}C$, and $600^{\circ}C$ for 40 seconds. A transmission electron microscope (TEM) and a high resolution X-ray diffractometer (HRXRD) were used to determine the cross-sectional microstructure and phase changes. A UVVIS-NIR and FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) were employed for near-IR and middle-IR absorbance. Through TEM and HRXRD analysis, for the nickel silicide formed at low temperatures below $450^{\circ}C$, we confirmed columnar-shaped structures with thicknesses of $20{\sim}30\;nm$ that had ${\delta}-Ni^2Si$ phases. Regarding the nickel silicide formed at high temperatures above $550^{\circ}C$, we confirmed that the nickel silicide had more than 50 nm-thick columnar-shaped structures with a $Ni_{31}Si_{12}$ phase. Through UV-VIS-NIR analysis, nickel silicide showed almost the same absorbance in the near IR region as well as ITO. However, in the middle IR region, the nickel silicides with low temperature showed similar absorbance to those from high temperature silicidation.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.207-214
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• 2007

We fabricated thermally-evaporated 10 -Ni/(poly)Si and 10 -Ni/1 -Ir/(poly)Si structures to investigate the microstructure of nickel monosilicide at the elevated temperatures required for annealing. Silicides underwent rapid at the temperatures of 300-1200 for 40 seconds. Silicides suitable for the salicide process formed on top of both the single crystal silicon actives and the polycrystalline silicon gates. A four-point tester was used to investigate the sheet resistances. A transmission electron microscope(TEM) and an Auger depth profile scope were employed for the determination of vertical section structure and thickness. Nickel silicides with iridium on single crystal silicon actives and polycrystalline silicon gates shoed low resistance up to 1000 and 800, respectively, while the conventional nickle monosilicide showed low resistance below 700. Through TEM analysis, we confirmed that a uniform, 20 -thick silicide layer formed on the single-crystal silicon substrate for the Ir-inserted case while a non-uniform, agglomerated layer was observed for the conventional nickel silicide. On the polycrystalline silicon substrate, we confirmed that the conventional nickel silicide showed a unique silicon-silicide mixing at the high silicidation temperature of 1000. Auger depth profile analysis also supports the presence of thismixed microstructure. Our result implies that our newly proposed iridium-added NiSi process may widen the thermal process window for the salicide process and be suitable for nano-thick silicides.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.252-258
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• 2013

In this paper, a thermally stable nickel silicide technology using the co-sputtering of nickel and titanium atoms capped with TiN layer is proposed for nano-scale metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) applications. The effects of the incorporation of titanium ingredient in the co-sputtered Ni layer are characterized as a function of Ti sputtering power. The difference between the one-step rapid thermal process (RTP) and two-step RTP for the silicidation process has also been studied. It is shown that a certain proportion of titanium incorporation with two-step RTP has the best thermal stability for this structure.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2004.06b
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• pp.371-374
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• 2004

In this paper, Ni Germane-silicide formed on undoped $Si_{0.8}Ge_{0.2}$ as well as source/drain dopants doped $Si_{0.8}Ge_{0.2}$ was characterized by the four-point probe for sheet resistance. x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). Low resistive NiSiGe is formed by one step RTP (Rapid thermal processing) with temperature range at $500{\~}700^{\circ}C$. To enhance the thermal stability of Ni Germane-silicide, Ni/Co/TiN structure with different Co concentration were studied in this work. Low sheet resistance was obtained by Ni/Co/TiN structure with high Co concentration using 2-step RTP and it almost keeps the same low sheet resistance even after furnace annealing at $650^{\circ}C$ for 30 min.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2002.06b
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• pp.237-240
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• 2002

In this W, a NiSi technology suitable for sub-100nm CMOS sevice is proposed. It seems that capping layer has little effect on the sheet resistance and junction leakage current when there is no thermal treatment. However, there happened agglomeration and drastic increase of Junction leakage current without capping layer. In other word, capping layer especially TiN capping layer is highly effective in suppressing thermal effect. It is shown that the sheet resistance of 0.12${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ linewidth and shallow p+/n junction with NiSi were stable up to 700 t /30 minute thermal treatment.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.167-170
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• 2002

The influence of Si surface damage on Ni-silicide with TiN Capping layer and the effect of $H_2$ anneal are characterized. Si surface is intentionally damaged using Ar Sputtering. The sheet resistance of NiSi formed on damaged silicon increased rapidly as Ar sputtering time increased. However, the thermal stability of Ni-Si on the damage silicon was more stable than that on at undamaged Si, which means that damaged region retards the formation of NiSi. It was shown that $H_2$ anneal and TiN capping is highly effective in reducing NiSi sheet resistance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2004.08a
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• pp.141-141
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• 2004

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.564-570
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• 2006

Silicides have been required to be below 40 nm-thick and to have low contact resistance without agglomeration at high silicidation temperature. We fabricated composite silicide layers on the wafers from Ni(20 nm)/Co(20 nm)/poly-Si(70 nm) structure by rapid thermal annealing of $700{\sim}1100^{\circ}C$ for 40 seconds. The sheet resistance, surface composition, cross-sectional microstructure, and surface roughness were investigated by a four point probe, a X-ray diffractometer, an Auger electron spectroscopy, a field emission scanning electron microscope, and a scanning probe microscope, respectively. The sheet resistance increased abruptly while thickness decreased as silicidation temperature increased. We propose that the fast metal diffusion along the silicon grain boundary lead to the poly silicon mixing and inversion. Our results imply that we may consider the serious thermal instability in designing and process for the sub-0.1 um CMOS devices.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.769-774
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• 2004

15 nm-Co/15 nm-Ni/P-Si(100)[Type I] and 15 nm-Ni/15 nm-Co/P-Si(100)(Type II) bilayer structures were annealed using a rapid thermal annealer for 40sec at $700/sim1100^{\circ}C$. The annealed bilayer structures developed into composite NiCo silicides and resulting changes in sheet resistance, composition and microstructure were investigated using Auger electron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Prepared NiCoSix films were further treated in a sequential annealing set up from $900\sim1100^{\circ}C$ with 30 minutes. The sheet resistances of NiCoSix from Type I maintained less than $7\;{\Omega}/sq$. even at the temperature of $1100{\circ}C$, while those of Type II showed about $5\;{\Omega}/sq$. with the thinner and more uniform thickness. With the additive post annealing, the sheet resistance for all the composite silicides remained small up to $900^{\circ}C$. The proposed NiCoSix films were superior over the conventional single-phased silicides and may be easily incorporated into the sub-0.1 ${\mu}m$ process.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.1-5
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• 2008

Silicide formation process and the formation sequence were investigated in this study. It was postulated that the formation of the second silicide phase involves glass formation between the first silicide phase and Si given that a thin metal film is deposited on a Si substrate. The concentration of glass was assumed to be located where the free energy of the liquid alloy with respect to the first nucleated compound and solid Si (${\Delta}$G') is most negative. It was also mentioned that the glass concentration is close to the composition of the second phase in order to achieve the maximum energy degradation. It was shown that the minimum ${\Delta}$G' concentration can be estimated by interpolating the portion of the liquidus where the liquid alloy is in equilibrium with the two solid constituents, namely the first compound phase and Si, thereby forming a hypothetical eutectic.