AUGER-ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY STUDIES OF INTERFACIAL REACTIONS IN METALSEMICONDUCTOR MULTILAYERS ACTIVATED DURING DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETRY MEASUREMENTS/

A multilayer structure composed of Ni, Cr and Si thin films was sputte r deposited onto smooth Si(lll) substrates with individual layer thick nesses between 20 and 60 nm. Interfacial reactions and diffusion proce sses were activated in a differential scanning calorimeter between roo m temperature and two different temperatures of 380 and 550 degrees C at a rate of 40 degrees C min(-1). Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) d epth profiles of the heat-treated samples showed a strong reaction bet ween the Ni and Si layers and different stages of the formation of two nickel silicides, Ni2Si and NiSi, which were identified by transmissi on electron microscopy (TEM) investigations and by differential scanni ng calorimetry (DSC) measurements. Their formation strongly depends on the reaction time and temperature and on the relative amounts of Si a nd Ni which are available for the reaction. A much less pronounced rea ction between Cr and Si can be recognized from AES depth profiles and TEM investigations. The combination of DSC, AES and TEM investigations allows a detailed identification of reaction products in the thermall y treated multilayer structures.