PHASE-TRANSITIONS AND EPITAXIAL NI3SI FORMATION ON NI(100) AFTER HIGH-DOSE SILICON ION-IMPLANTATION

Structural changes and phase transitions during high dose Si implantat ion into single crystal Ni(100) and subsequent annealing at temperatur es up to 800-degrees-C have been characterized using Rutherford backsc attering spectrometry and channeling. A complete amorphous layer is pr oduced after implantation to doses above about 4.5 X 10(17) Si/cm2. Th e recrystallization of the amorphous layer during isochronal annealing leads to the formation of various Ni-rich silicides at different temp eratures. Ion channeling suggests that an epitaxial Ni3Si layer on the Ni(100) substrate can form at a temperature of 400-degrees-C. Fur-the r annealing at higher temperatures up to 600-degrees-C improves the ep itaxial quality, as indicated by a channeling minimum yield chi(min) o f 8% in the Ni3Si layer. Higher temperature annealing at 700-degrees-C and above results in the dissolution of the Ni3Si layer into the Ni s ubstrate.