An x-ray spectromicroscopic study of the local structure of patterned titanium suicide

Abstract

Results from a spectromicroscopic study of the formation of TiSi2 in patterned structures are reported. An x-ray spectromicroscope was used to acquire spectra and images with photoabsorption signals using synchrotron radiation. A patterned TiSi2 sample with feature sizes ranging from 100 μm to 0.1 νm was studied. The silicidation reactions were carried out in ultrahigh vacuum using rapid thermal processing. Lateral variations in the local chemistry of the titanium suicide could be directly imaged and are attributed to the formation of the C54 phase in large areas and the C49 phase at feature edges and in narrow features. © 1997 American Institute of Physics.