Abstract
In-situ resistivity vs. temperature, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, Auger electron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements have been performed in order to study the effects arising from the presence of oxygen in the annealing ambient on the integrity of amorphous films of TiSix, with x ranging from 1.45 to 2.1. Crystalisation occurs around 400 C. The presence of oxygen produces the formation of silicon and titanium oxide around 500 C. Critical analysis of the experimental results have indicated that metal oxidation is inhibited when an excess of silicon is present, which suggests the use of a sputtered Si coating cap as a medium capable of effectively decoupling the silicide film from oxygen. This avoids unwanted Ti oxidation even in heavily oxygen contaminated ambients up to the highest temperatures used for the formation of low resistivity titanium disilicide.