Effects of the different heat treatments on the growth and formation of iron silicide on Si(100)

We have investigated the formation and growth of iron silicides by the solid phase epitaxy (SPE) and reactive deposition epitaxy (RDE) + post-annealing. Semiconducting beta-FeSi2 was grown on a Si(100) substrate using an electron beam deposition system. In the case of the SPE, although an epitaxial beta-FeSi2 was grown to about 200 Angstrom, the mixed layer of beta-FeSi2 and other phases existed on the epitaxial layer. On the other hands, in the ease of the RDE + post-annealing, the thick beta-FeSi2 film was grown with the thickness of about 3100 Angstrom by post-annealing at 700 degrees C after deposition at 200 degrees C. In the beta-FeSi2 film, the epitaxial beta-FeSi2 grain was grown with a size of about 2500 Angstrom and the epitaxial tendency was B-type. From these results, it seems that the RDE + post-annealing method is more preferable than the SPE fur the growth of a thick epitaxial beta-FeSi2 film. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.