Morphology and motion of the interface between amorphous and crystalline cobalt disilicide

Amorphous CoSi2 films were prepared by codeposition onto electron-transparent silicon nitride window substrates. The deposits were crystallized in situ without further processing. Two sets of experiments were done: thermal crystallization and thermal crystallization with additional ion-irradiation treatments before or during crystallization. The interface between the amorphous and crystalline material is rough on the scale of 20 nm with some tendency to facet. Irradiation by 1.5 MeV Kr ions stimulates both nucleation and growth at room temperature. Prior ion-irradiation followed by heating in the absence of an ion-flux also enhances the nucleation and growth kinetics relative to a purely thermal treatment. © 1991.