• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.323-330
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• 2007

We fabricated thermaly evaporated 10 nmNi/(poly)Si films to investigate the energy saving property of silicides formed by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at the temperature of $300{\sim}1200^{\circ}C$ for 40 seconds. Moreover, we fabricated $10{\sim}50$ nm-thick ITO/Si films with a rf-sputter as reference films. A four-point tester was used to investigate the sheet resistance. A transmission electron microscope (TEM) and an X-ray diffractometer were used for the determination of cross sectional microstructure and phase changes. A UV-VISNIR and FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared rays spectroscopy) were employed for near-IR and middle-IR absorbance. Through TEM analysis, we confirmed $20{\sim}70nm-thick$ silicide layers formed on the single and polycrystalline silicon substrates. Nickel silicides and ITO films on the single silicon substrates showed almost similar absorbance in near-IR region, while nickel silicides on polycrystalline silicon substrate showed superior absorbance above 850 nm near-IR region to ITO films. Nickel silicide on polycrystalline substrate also showed better absorbance in middle IR region than ITO. Our result implies that nano-thick nickel silicides may have exellent absorbing capacity in near-IR and middle-IR region.

• 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.

• 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.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.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.46 no.11
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• pp.755-761
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• 2008

We fabricated thermally evaporated 10 nm-Ni/1 nm-Ir/(poly)Si films to investigate the energy saving property of silicides formed by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at the temperature range of $300{\sim}1200^{\circ}C$ for 40 seconds. Moreover, we fabricated 100 nm-thick ITO/(poly)Si films with an rf-sputter as references. A transmission electron microscope (TEM) and an X-ray diffractometer were used to determine cross-sectional microstructure and phase changes. A UV-VIS-NIR and FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) were employed for near-IR and middle-IR absorbance. Through TEM analysis, we confirmed 20~65 nm-thick silicide layers formed on the single and polycrystalline silicon substrates. Ir-inserted nickel silicide on single crystalline substrate showed almost the same absorbance in near IR region as well as ITO, but Ir-inserted nickel silicide on polycrystalline substrate, which had the uniform absorbance in specific region, showed better absorbance in near IR region than ITO. The Ir-inserted nickel silicide on polycrystalline substrate particularly showed better absorbance in middle IR region than ITO. The results imply that nano-thick Ir-inserted nickel silicides may have excellent absorbing capacity in near-IR and middle-IR region.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.301-305
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• 2005

We fabricated nickel silicide layers on whole non-patterned wafers from $p-Si(100)SiO_2(200nm)$/poly-Si(70 nm)mn(40 nm) structure by 40 sec rapid thermal annealing of $500\~900^{\circ}C$. The sheet resistance, cross-sectional microstructure, surface roughness, and phase analysis were investigated by a four point probe, a field emission scanning electron microscope, a scanning probe microscope, and an X-ray diffractometer, respectively. Sheet resistance was as small as $7\Omega/sq$. even at the elevated temperature of $900^{\circ}C$. The silicide thickness and surface roughness increased as silicidation temperature increased. We confirmed the nickel silicides iron thin nickel/poly-silicon structures would be a mixture of NiSi and $NiSi_2$ even at the $NiSi_2$ stable temperature region.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.571-577
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• 2006

We fabricated thermal evaporated 10 nm-Ni/(poly)Si and 10 nm-Ni/1 nm-Ir/(poly)Si films to investigate the thermal stability of nickel monosilicide at the elevated temperatures by rapid annealing them at the temperatures of $300{\sim}1200^{\circ}C$ for 40 seconds. Silicides for salicide process was formed on top of both the single crystal silicon actives and the polycrystalline silicon gates. A four-point tester is used for sheet resistance. Scanning electron microscope and field ion beam were employed for thickness and microstructure evolution characterization. An x-ray diffractometer and an auger depth profile scope were used for phase and composition analysis, respectively. Nickel silicides with iridium on single crystal silicon actives and polycrystalline silicon gates showed low resistance up to $1200^{\circ}C$ and $800^{\circ}C$, respectively, while the conventional nickel monosilicide showed low resistance below $700^{\circ}C$. The grain boundary diffusion and agglomeration of silicides led to lower the NiSi stable temperature with polycrystalline silicon substrates. Our result implies that our newly proposed Ir added NiSi process may widen the thermal process window for nano CMOS process.

• 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.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.703-708
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• 1999

Silicides have been used extensively in ULSI logic device fabrication as contact materials for the active areas as well as the poly- Si gates. NiSi is a promising candidate for submicron device application due to less volume expansion, low formation temperature, little silicon consumption, and large stable processing temperature window. In this report, the microstructure of nickel silicides fabricated with a thermal evaporator has been investigated. We observed systematic transformation of Ni silicides of $Ni_2$Si, NiSi, $NiSi_2$, as annealing temperature increases. All the silicides have been identified by a X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The cross-sectional microstructure of silicides was examined by a transmission electron microscope (TEM) equipped with a energy dispersive spectrometer(EDS). The surface roughness of silicides was measured by scanning probe microscope(SPM). Although we observed thin oxide layer existed at the $Ni/NiSi_{x}$ interface, we fabricated successfully $550\AA$-thick planar Ni-monosilicide at the temperature range of$ 400~700^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.1056-1063
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• 2006

Thermal evaporated 10 nm-Ni/l nm-Ir/(or polycrystalline)p-Si(100) and 10 nm-$Ni_{50}Co_{50}$/(or polycrystalline)p-Si(100) films were thermally annealed using rapid thermal annealing fur 40 sec at $300{\sim}1200^{\circ}C$. The annealed bilayer structure developed into Ni(Ir or Co)Si and resulting changes in sheet resistance, microstructure, phase and composition were investigated using a four-point probe, a scanning electron microscopy, a field ion beam, an X-ray diffractometer and an Auger electron spectroscope. The final thickness of Ir- and Co-inserted nickel silicides on single crystal silicon was approximately 20$\sim$40 nm and maintained its sheet resistance below 20 $\Omega$/sq. after the silicidation annealing at $1000^{\circ}C$. The ones on polysilicon had thickness of 20$\sim$55 nm and remained low resistance up to $850^{\circ}C$. A possible reason fur the improved thermal stability of the silicides formed on single crystal silicon substrate is the role of Ir and Co in preventing $NiSi_2$ transformation. Ir and Co also improved thermal stability of silicides formed on polysilicon substrate, but this enhancement was lessened due to the formation of high resistant phases and also a result of silicon mixing during high temperature diffusion. Ir-inserted nickel silicides showed surface roughness below 3 nm, which is appropriate for nano process. In conclusion, the proposed Ir- and Co- inserted nickel silicides may be superior over the conventional nickel monosilicides due to improved thermal stability.