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Stress development and relaxation during reactive film formation of Ni2Si

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2011

K.P. Liew ,
R.A. Bernstein  and
C.V. Thompson
K.P. Liew
Affiliation:
Singapore-MIT Alliance, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576
R.A. Bernstein
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
C.V. Thompson
Affiliation:
Singapore-MIT Alliance, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576; and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
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Abstract

Using continuous wafer-curvature measurements, stress generation was monitored as nickel thin films reacted with silicon substrates to form Ni2Si during isothermal anneals. A large compressive force developed during the reaction, but gradually relaxed after the reaction was complete. From a model for reactive film formation, a lower limit for the instantaneous stress associated with compound formation was found to be −2.00 ± 0.75 GPa. This instantaneous stress can be explained by a volumetric strain of 1.65 ± 0.62%, which is much smaller than the theoretical volume expansion of 62% in this system. These results suggest that significant inelastic deformation occurs during silicide formation. It was also found that diffusive creep relaxes the growth stress after the reaction. The observed instantaneous stress indicates that the energy of deformation associated with the reaction is of the same order as the energy that drives it, suggesting that stress generation and stress relaxation can play a significant role in the kinetics of reactive film formation.

Keywords

DiffusionSputteringMetal
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 19 , Issue 2 , February 2004 , pp. 676 - 680
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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