Characterization of the local mechanical stress induced during the Ti and Co/Ti salicidation in sub-0.25 mu m technologies

In this article, micro-Raman spectroscopy measurements of the local mechani cal stress in the silicon substrate induced by the Ti and Co/Ti salicidatio n were combined with simulations by finite element modeling down to 0.1 mu m technologies. It is shown that the scaling possibilities of TiSi2 and of CoSi2 will both be hampered by the stress induced during the salicidation a nd will result in the generation of 60 degrees dislocations in the silicon substrate. These experiments prove that, because of the difference in mater ial properties between TiSi2 and CoSi2, a higher stress is generated in the silicon substrate during the Ti salicidation than during the low stress Co /Ti-salicidation process. Therefore, the mechanical characteristics related to the silicide formation become a critical parameter in the optimization of the silicide process. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-897 9(99)06118-6].