The Influence of Implantation-Induced Non-Stoichionetry on the Epitaxial Recrystallization of CoSi2

Abstract

ABSTRACTEpitaxial CoSi2 layers on Si substrates have been amorphized with Co and/or Si ion implantation. The influence of nonstoichiometry on the rate of solid-phase epitaxial growth (SPEG) of amorphized CoSi2 has been investigated with time-resolved reflectivity, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and Mossbauer spectrometry, the latter with radioactive 57Co probes. A decrease in SPEG rate was apparent with an increase in nonstoichiometry. For a given ion dose, the decrease was greater following Co implantation. The means by which non-stoichiometry is accommodated in a crystalline CoSi2 lattice - either through phase separation or defect formation - has been considered. SPEG rate retardation was also evident in samples implanted with both Si and Co ions with a Si:Co dose ratio of 2:1. Additional mechanisms may thus also contribute to the observed SPEG rate reduction.