Formation and growth of CoSi2 on (001)Si inside 0.2-2 mu m oxide openings prepared by electron-beam lithography

The formation and growth of CoSi2 inside 0.2-2 mu m linear oxide openings a nd contact holes prepared by electron-beam lithography have been investigat ed. A thin, uniform epitaxial CoSi2 was grown inside 0.5 mu m or smaller li near openings and 0.7 mu m of smaller contact holes by both one- and two-st ep rapid thermal annealing processes. On the other hand, epitaxial and poly crystalline CoSi2 were found to form on silicon near the edge and central r egion, respectively, inside 0.6 mu m or larger linear openings. The size ef fect of the oxide openings is correlated to the distribution of local stres s induced at the oxide edge. The formation of CoSi at low temperature appea red to be retarded by the local compressive stress near the edge of the lin ear oxide openings. The relative ease in the epitaxial growth of CoSi2 near the oxide edge of the linear openings and of 0.7 mu m and smaller contact holes is attributed to the thinness of the CoSi layer. (C) 1999 American Va cuum Society.