Effect of erbium interlayer on nickel silicide formation on Si(1 0 0)

To reveal the influence of erbium interlayer on the formation of nickel silicide and its contact properties on Si substrate, Er(0.5–3.0 nm) and Ni(20 nm) are successively deposited onto Si(1 0 0) substrate and are treated by rapid thermal annealing in pure N2 ambient. The NiSi formation temperature is found to increase depending on the Er interlayer thickness. The formation temperature of NiSi2 (700 °C) is not influenced by Er addition. But with 2 nm Er interlayer, the formed NiSi2 is observed textured with preferred orientation of (1 0 0). During the formation of NiSi, Er segregates to the surface and little Er remains at the NiSi/Si(1 0 0) interface. Therefore, the Schottky barrier height of the formed NiSi/n-Si(1 0 0) contact is measured to be 0.635 ∼ 0.665 eV which is nearly invariable with different Er addition.