In-Situ resistance Measurements During Rapid Thermal Annealing for Process Characterization

Abstract

AbstractMeasurement of resistance in-situ during rapid thermal annealing is a powerful technique for process characterization and optimization. A major advantage of in-situ resistance measurements is the very rapid process learning. With silicides, in-situ resistance measurements can quickly determine an appropriate thermal process in which a low resistance silicide phase is formed without the agglomeration or inversion of silicide/polycrystalline silicon structures. One example is an optimized two step anneal for CoSi2 formation which was developed in less than one day. Examples of process characterization include determining the phase formation kinetics of TiSi2 (C49 and C54), Co2Si, and CoSi2 using in-situ ramped resistance measurements. The stability of TiSi2 or CoSi2/poly-Si structures has also been characterized by isothermal measurements. Resistance measurements have been made at heating rates from 1 to 100°C/s and temperatures up to 1000°C. The sample temperature was calibrated by melting Ag, Al, or Au/Si eutectics.