APPLICATION OF HIGH-ENERGY RESOLVED X-RAY-EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY FOR MONITORING OF SILICIDE FORMATION IN CO SIO2/SI SYSTEM/

High-energy resolved X-ray emission spectroscopy was used to study the influence of oxide thickness on the thermally-induced CoSi2-formation in the Co/SiO2/Si system. The Si L-2,L-3, X-ray emission spectra have shown different fine structure dependent on the thickness of the buri ed oxide layer, the annealing temperature and the time of annealing. A full analysis of silicidation is undertaken on the basis of compariso n of the spectra of the samples under investigation with those of refe rence samples of c-Si, SiO2 and CoSi2. It is found that silicidation i n this system, with formation of CoSi2, starts at annealing temperatur es above 900 degrees C. Annealing at 1100 degrees C for 10 s was requi red for formation of the CoSi2 phase in the Co/SiO2/Si system with a 3 -nm thick layer of SiO2. It is shown that increasing annealing time fr om 10 to 45 s leads to formation of CoSi2 for thicker (about 10 nm) la yers of SiO2. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.