INTERFACE REACTION OF SI THIN-FILM ON AU SUBSTRATE

We have investigated the Si-Au interface reaction introduced by Si deposition on a Au polycrystalline substrate using Auger electron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Initial growth of the Au-rich silicide was demonstrated in detail using difference spectra of the SiLVV Auger lines at successive stages of Si deposition. This revealed that the Si-Au intermixing reaction starts at the very beginning of Si deposition on Au substrates at room temperature. The Au-rich silicide formed in the early stage (up to approximately 10 angstrom) of Si deposition stably existed after annealing at 350-degrees-C. The stable Au-rich silicide was also formed due to the strong intermixing at 350-degrees-C annealing of an approximately 100 angstrom Si film on Au. SEM observations showed that the population of pits, where Si reacts with Au on the Au grains, increased with increasing Si film thickness after the annealing.