Calculations of tungsten silicide and carbide formation on SiC using the Gibbs free energy

Fabricating electronic devices capable of operation at elevated temperatures requires understanding the chemical reactions at the metal–semiconductor interface. A Gibbs ternary diagram approach is used to understand the temperature sequence of silicide and carbide formation, and stability in WSiC ternary systems. Limitations of the thermodynamic approach are discussed, and comparisons with experimental results are made.