Prevention of increased CoSi2 sheet resistance by storage of silicon wafers in a closed pod

A minienvironment consisting of a nitrogen-purged wafer transfer unit and a hermetically sealed aluminum pod was developed and used for wafer transpor t from the wafer-cleaning equipment to the cobalt-deposition equipment prio r to the cobalt deposition step in the cobalt-silicide formation process. A s a result of employing the closed pod system, an increase in sheet resista nce of cobalt silicide was prevented without increasing the junction leakag e current caused by prevention of the growth of native oxides on the silico n surfaces. (C) 1999 The Electrochemical Society. S1099-0062(98)12-104-1. A ll rights reserved.