Electronic structure of nickel silicide in subhalf-micron lines and blanket films: An x-ray absorption fine structures study at the Ni and Si L-3,L-2edge

We report a Ni and Si L-3,L-2-edge x-ray absorption near edge structures (X ANES) study of nickel-silicon interaction in submicron (0.15 and 0.2 mm) li nes on a n-Si( 100) wafer as well as a series of well characterized Ni-Si b lanket films. XANES measurements recorded in both total electron yield and soft x-ray fluorescence yield indicate that under the selected silicidation conditions, the more desirable low resistivity phase, NiSi, is indeed the dominant phase in the subhalf-micron lines although the formation of this p hase is less complete as the line becomes narrower and this is accompanied by a Ni rich surface. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(9 9)03318-5].