Formation of ultra-thin NiGe film with single crystalline phase and smooth surface

Abstract

Abstract Formation of an ultra-thin nickel-germanide (Ni-germanide) film on a SiO2 film has been attempted with stacking structures of Ni with various thicknesses formed on Ge films with thicknesses of 4 nm or 20 nm and annealing in an N2 ambient condition. Physical analyses revealed that the ultra-thin Ni-germanide films with smooth surfaces could be formed on the SiO2 film after annealing at 400 °C without depending on the Ni thickness on the 4 nm thick Ge films. In the formation, reductive and oxidative reactions occurred in the films, which are quite important for determining a composition of the Ni-germanide.