• 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.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.88-96
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• 2008

Thermal evaporated 10 nm-$Ni_{50}Co_{50}$/(70 nm-poly)Si films were deposited to examine the energy saving properties of silicides formed by rapid thermal annealing at temperature ranging from 500 to $1,100^{\circ}C$ for 40 seconds. Thermal evaporated 10 nm-Ni/(70 nm-poly)Si films were also deposited as a reference using the same method for depositing the 10 nm-$Ni_{50}Co_{50}$/(70 nm-poly)Si films. A four-point probe was used to examine the sheet resistance. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction XRD were used to determine cross sectional microstructure and phase changes, respectively. UV-VIS-NIR and FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) were used to examine the near-infrared (NIR) and middle-infrared (MIR) absorbance. TEM analysis confirmed that the uniform nickel-cobalt composite silicide layers approximately 21 to 55 nm in thickness had formed on the single and polycrystalline silicon substrates as well as on the 25 to 100 nm thick nickel silicide layers. In particular, nickel-cobalt composite silicides showed a low sheet resistance, even after rapid annealing at $1,100^{\circ}C$. Nickel-cobalt composite silicide and nickel silicide films on the single silicon substrates showed similar absorbance in the near-IR region, while those on the polycrystalline silicon substrates showed excellent absorbance until the 1,750 nm region. Silicides on polycrystalline substrates showed high absorbance in the middle IR region. Nickel-cobalt composite silicides on the poly-Si substrates annealed at $1,000^{\circ}C$ superior IR absorption on both NIR and MIR region. These results suggest that the newly proposed $Ni_{50}Co_{50}$ composite silicides may be suitable for applications of IR absorption coatings.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.846-850
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• 2004

NiCo silicide films have been fabricated from $300{\AA}-thick\;Ni_{1-x}Co_{x}(x=0.1\sim0.9)$ on Si-substrates by varying RTA(rapid thermal annealing) temperatures from $700^{\circ}C\;to\;1100^{\circ}C$ for 40 sec. Sheet resistance, cross-sectional microstructure, and chemical composition evolution were measured by a four point probe, a transmission electron microscope(TEM), and an Auger depth profilemeter, respectively. For silicides of the all composition and temperatures except for $80\%$ of the Ni composition, we observed small sheet resistance of sub- $7\;{\Omega}/sq.,$ which was stable even at $1100^{\circ}C$. We report that our newly proposed NiCo silicides may obtain sub 50 nm-thick films by tunning the nickel composition and silicidation temperature. New NiCo silicides from NiCo-alloys may be more appropriate for sub-0.1${\mu}m$ CMOS process, compared to conventional single phase or stacked composit silicides.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.615-620
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• 2008

We fabriacted thermal evaporated $10nm-Ni_{1-x}Co_x$(x=0.2, 0.6, and 0.7) films on 70 nm-thick polysilicon substrate with $0.5{\mu}m$ line width. NiCo composite silicide layers were formed by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at the temperatures of $700^{\circ}C$ and $1000^{\circ}C$. Then, we checked the microstructure evaluation of silicide patterns. A FIB (focused ion beam) was used to micro-mill the interconnect patterns with low energy condition (30kV-10pA-2 sec). We investigated the possibility of selective removal of silicide layers. It was possible to remove low resistance silicide layer selectively with the given FIB condition for our proposed NiCo composite silicides. However, the silicides formed from $Ni_{40}Co_{60}$ and $Ni_{30}Co_{70}$ composition showed void defects in interconnect patterns. Those void defects hinder the selective milling for the NiCo composite silicides.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.308-317
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• 2007

We fabricated thermally-evaporated 10 nm-Ni/(poly)Si and 10 nm-$Ni_{0.5}Co_{0.5}$/(Poly)Si structures to investigate the microstructure of nickel silicides at the elevated temperatures required lot annealing. Silicides underwent rapid annealing at the temperatures of $600{\sim}1100^{\circ}C$ 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 and an Auger depth profilescope were employed for the determination of vortical microstructure and thickness. Nickel silicides with cobalt on single crystal silicon actives and polycrystalline silicon gates showed low resistance up to $1100^{\circ}C$ and $900^{\circ}C$, respectively, while the conventional nickle monosilicide showed low resistance below $700^{\circ}C$. Through TEM analysis, we confirmed that a uniform, $10{\sim}15 nm$-thick silicide layer formed on the single-crystal silicon substrate for the Co-alloyed 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 $1000^{\circ}C$. Auger depth profile analysis also supports the presence of this mixed microstructure. Our result implies that our newly proposed NiCo-alloy composite silicide process may widen the thermal process window for the salicide process and be suitable for nano-thick silicides.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.573-578
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• 2004

Newly developed silicide materials for ULSI should have the appropriate electrical property of low resistant as well as process compatibility in conventional CMOS process. We prepared $NiCoSi_x$ silicides from 15 nm-Co/15 nm-Ni/Si structure and performed contact dry etch process to confirm the dry etch stability and compatibility of $NiCoSi_x$ layers. We dry etched the photoresist/SiO/silicide/silicon patterns with $CF_4\;and\;CHF_3$ gases with varying powers from 100 to 200 W, and pressures from 45 to 65 mTorr, respectively. Polysilicon and silicon active layers without silicide were etched $0\sim316{\AA}$ during over etch time of 3min, while silicon layers with proposed $NiCoSi_x$ silicide were not etched and showed stable surfaces. Our result implies that new $NiCoSi_x$ silicides may replace the conventional silicides due to contact etch process compatibility.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.195-200
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• 2007

We fabricated thermally-evaporated 10 nm-Ni/70 w-Poly-Si/200 $nm-SiO_2/Si$ and $10nm-Ni_{0.5}Co_{0.5}/70$ nm-Poly-Si/200 $nm-SiO_2/Si$ structures to investigate the microstructure of nickel monosilicide at the elevated temperatures required fur annealing. Silicides underwent rapid anneal at the temperatures of $600{\sim}1100^{\circ}C$ for 40 seconds. Silicides suitable for the salicide process formed on top of the polycrystalline silicon substrate mimicking the gates. A four-point tester was used to investigate the sheet resistances. A transmission electron microscope and an Auger depth profile scope were employed for the determination of cross sectional microstructure and thickness. 20nm thick nickel cobalt composite silicides on polycrystalline silicon showed low resistance up to $900^{\circ}C$, while the conventional nickle silicide showed low resistance below $900^{\circ}C$. Through TEM analysis, we confirmed that the 70nm-thick nickel cobalt composite silicide showed a unique silicon-silicide mixing at the high silicidation temperature of $1000^{\circ}C$. We identified $Ni_3Si_2,\;CoSi_2$ phase at $700^{\circ}C$ using an X-ray diffractometer. Auger depth profile analysis also supports the presence of this mixed microstructure. Our result implies that our newly proposed NiCo composite silicide from NiCo alloy films process may widen the thermal process window for the salicide process and be suitable for nano-thick silicides.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2007

For the sub-65 nm CMOS process, it is necessary to develop a new silicide material and an accompanying process that allows the silicide to maintain a low sheet resistance and to have an enhanced thermal stability, thus providing for a wider process window. In this study, we have evaluated the property and unit process compatibility of newly proposed composite silicides. We fabricated composite silicide layers on single crystal silicon from $10nm-Ni_{1-x}Co_x/single-crystalline-Si(100),\;10nm-Ni_{1-x}Co_x/poly-crystalline-\;Si(100)$ wafers (x=0.2, 0.5, and 0.8) with the purpose of mimicking the silicides on source and drain actives and gates. Both the film structures were prepared by thermal evaporation and silicidized by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) from $700^{\circ}C\;to\;1100^{\circ}C$ for 40 seconds. The sheet resistance, cross-sectional microstructure, surface composition, were investigated using a four-point probe, a field emission scanning probe microscope, a field ion beam, an X-ray diffractometer, and an Auger electron depth profi1ing spectroscopy, respectively. Finally, our newly proposed composite silicides had a stable resistance up to $1100^{\circ}C$ and maintained it below $20{\Omega}/Sg$., while the conventional NiSi was limited to $700^{\circ}C$. All our results imply that the composite silicide made from NiCo alloy films may be a possible candidate for 65 nm-CMOS devices.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.12 no.2 s.35
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• pp.149-154
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• 2005

We fabricated Ni/Co(or Co/Ni) composite silicide layers on the non-patterned wafers from Ni(20 nm)/Co(20 nm)/poly-Si(70 nm) structure by rapid thermal annealing of $700{\~}1100^{\circ}C$ for 40 seconds. The sheet resistance, cross-sectional microstructure, and surface roughness were investigated by a four point probe, 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 poly silicon inversion due to fast metal diffusion lead to decrease silicide thickness. Our results imply that we should consider the serious inversion and fast transformation in designing and process f3r the nano-height fully cobalt nickel composite silicide gates.