Characterization of reactions at titanium/nickel silicide interface using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy

TiN/Ti/NiSi/Si multilayer system is of great technological importance for complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) device fabrication. Interfacial reactions in this multilayer system play a critical role in determining the contact resistance and affect silicon consumption, a key issue in shallow junction structures. In this report, interfacial reactions in TiN/Ti/NiSi/Si multilayer systems, with a focus on Ti/NiSi interface, were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and four-point probe measurements. Impact of thermal treatment temperatures was investigated.