Low temperature reactions at silicon-metal contacts

tc, Elsevier Sequoia

86

LOW TEMPERATURE

REACTIONS

Thin Solid Films. 45 (I 977) 86 S.A., Lausanne-Printed in the Netherlands

AT SILICON-METAL

CONTACTS*

J. 0. McCALDIN

California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calij 91 I25 (U.S.A.

J

We consider the interface between Si and metal under conditions favorable to reaction at low temperature. This is in contrast to the usual goal in integrated circuit metallization where one desires that the atoms do not move. Indeed in present metallization technology, resort is often made to multiple metallizations tosupplement naturally occurring barriers to atom movement. The enhanced reaction rates treated in the present discussion usually occur most readily for ultra-clean Si-metal interfaces, although the interposition of a suitable intermediate metal can sometimes facilitate reaction. The high reactivity cases considered can serve (1) towards afurther understanding of the factors leading to Si-metal reaction and (2) to test the possibilities of growing Si crystals at very low temperatures.

*Abstract Francisco,

of a paper presented at the International California, U.S.A., March 28%April I, 1977.

Conference

on Metallurgical

Coatings,

San