镍硅化物工艺新进展

随着MOSFET器件的特征尺寸进入亚100 nm,传统自对准硅化物材料,如TiSi_2和CoSi_2,由于其硅化物形成工艺的高硅耗、高形成热预算和线宽效应等特点,已不能满足纳米尺寸器件对硅化物材料的要求,显现出其作为自对准硅化物材料的局限性.NiSi与传统自对准硅化物材料相比,不但具有硅化物形成工艺的低硅耗和低形成热预算,而且具有低电阻率,又不存在线宽效应.所以,NiSi作为纳米尺寸器件最有希望的自对准硅化物材料得到广泛的关注和研究.综合介绍了镍硅化物特性,一硅化镍薄膜形成工艺及其工艺控制问题.     

Ti中间层对超薄Ni膜硅化反应特性的影响

在多种Si衬底上利用离子束溅射淀积超薄Ni膜以及Ni/Ti双层膜，经过快速热退火处理完成薄膜的固相硅化反应，通过四探针法、微区喇曼散射法和俄歇深度分布测试法研究了Ti中间层对Ni硅化反应的影响. 实验结果证明Ti中间层抑制了集成电路生产最需要的NiSi相的形成.     

深槽Ni(Pt)Si/Si肖特基二极管特性研究

采用15nmNi/1.5nmPt/15nmNi/Si结构在600～850°C范围内经RTP退火的方法形成Ni(Pt)Si薄膜,其薄膜电阻低且均匀一致。比形成较低电阻率的NiSi薄膜的温度提高了150°C。在850°CRTP退火后形成的Ni(Pt)Si/Si肖特基势垒二极管I-V特性很好,其势垒高度ΦB为0.71eV,改善了肖特基二极管的稳定性。实验表明在肖特基二极管中引入深槽结构,可以大幅度地提高其反向击穿电压。在外延层浓度为5E15cm-3时,深槽器件的击穿电压可以达到80V,比保护环器件高约30V。     

Effect of a thin W, Pt, Mo, and Zr interlayer on the thermal stability and electrical characteristics of NiSi

It is reported that the thermal stability of NiSi is improved by employing respectively the addition of a thin interlayer metal (W, Pt, Mo, Zr) within the nickel film. The results show that after rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at temperatures ranging from 650 °C to 800 °C, the sheet resistance of formed ternary silicide Ni(M)Si was less than 3 Ω/□, and its value is also lower than that of pure nickel monosilicide. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and raman spectra results both reveal that only the Ni(M)Si phase exists in these samples, but the high resistance NiSi₂ phase does not. Fabricated Ni(M)Si/Si Schottky barrier devices displayed good I-V electrical characteristics, with the barrier height being located generally between 0.65 eV and 0.71 eV, and the reverse breakdown voltage exceeding to 40 V. It shows that four kinds of Ni(M)Si film can be considered as the satisfactory local connection and contact material.     

Effects of prolonged annealing on NiSi at low temperature (500°C)

The effects of prolonged annealing (10 h) at low temperature (500°C) have been studied in 20-nm Ni/Si (100) thin films using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in conjunction with energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS), and four-point probe techniques. We observe that nickel monosilicide (NiSi) is stable up to 4 h annealing at 500°C. It is also found that, after 6 h and 10 h annealing, severe agglomeration sets in and NiSi thin films tear off and separate into different clusters of regions of NiSi and Si on the surface. Due to this severe agglomeration and tearing off of the NiSi films, sheet resistance is increased by a factor of 2 despite the fact that no NiSi to NiSi₂ transition occurs. It is also observed that, with increasing annealing time, the interface between NiSi and Si becomes rougher.