Selective growth of metal-rich silicide of near-noble metals

Abstract

Near-noble metals react with Si to form a metal-rich silicide at 100 to 200°C. Growth of the silicide is selected by the criterion that diffusion of near-noble metal atoms to the silicide-silicon interface is needed in order to maintain a high interface mobility. Structure of the metal-rich silicide facilitates the diffusion. It has been postulated that high interface mobility can be achieved by transforming Si atoms at the interface from covalent bonding to metallic bonding and the transformation can be induced by forming metal interstitials in Si.