An overview of silicide formation by rapid thermal processing is presented. Recent progresses on device applications, phase formation, growth kinetics, thermal stability, epitaxial growth, formation of metastable phase, vacancy ordering in rare-earth silicides and Ti-based shallow junctions involving rapid thermal processing are used as examples to highlight the applications of rapid thermal processing in connection with silicide formation.

Thermal stability of TiSi2 on blank, high–dose BF2+–, B+–, F+–, As+–, and P+–implanted silicon has been studied by both cross–sectional and plan–view transmission electron microscopy as well as by sheet resistance measurements. The surface morphology of TiSi2 was found to be significantly influenced by the implantation in silicon substrate.

Simultaneous presence of B and F was found to be most effective in stabilizing the TiSi2 thin films. Sheet resistance data were found to correlate well with the morphological and microstructural observation. The mechanisms for the stabilization of silicide films are discussed.

Complete removal of end-of-range (EOR) defects in ion implanted silicon has been achieved by the formation and growth of near noble silicides (CoSi 2 and NiSi 2 ) and refractory silicides (MoSi 2 and WSi2). Continued generation of vacancies during the silicide growth was found to be essential to reduce EOR defects. The results are consistent with the suggestion of the presence of a vacancy diffusion barrier near the EOR defects

Interfacial reactions of titanium thin films on P+-implanted silicon have been studied by transmission electron microscopy.

The presence of titanium thin films on P+-implanted silicon was found to alter the defect configuration in the recrystallized layer. Interfacial reactions of titanium thin films on silicon were also found to be influenced by the presence of dopants as well as changes in the microstructures of the substrate. The results are compared with those found in previous studies of Ti thin films on ion-implanted silicon as well as on unimplanted samples. The mechanisms for the chaiiges in defect configuration and phase formation are discussed.